Ord Mantel
by Srellet
Summary: An attempt on Princess Leia's life, leads to a mission on Ord Mantel as her friends try to find her would-be assassin.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1:

Han Solo yawned as he exited the hanger, nodded at the X-Wing tech he passed, and walked down the corridor on Home One that led to the mess hall. The only thing on his mind was breakfast. Chewbacca was supposed to restock the galley, but he failed to do so. Then the Wookie had the nerve to devour the last of the eggs and porquine. Han figured the powdered eggs and whatever side the mess hall was serving would be better than oatmeal without lami honey and bantha milk.

The smuggler's sour mien and rumbling stomach discouraged any small talk with the personnel he passed. The most they did was nod at him, and he responded with a grunt. When he made a right turn down the corridor, he saw _her_ walking towards him. She didn't seem to notice him. Solo smiled to himself. He knew exactly how to improve his mood.

Han slowed his pace and walked down the middle of the corridor. Princess Leia's gaze was focused on her hands. Han's grin widened. Perfect. He came to a stop and waited. And just as he anticipated, Princess Leia Organa plowed right into his chest.

"Hey!" Han snapped. "Watch where yer goin'!"

She briefly looked up at him. "Sorry." Then she stepped around him and continued on her way.

Han lowered his brow. "Sorry?"

Leia stopped and turned around. "Yes. Please accept my apology." She started to walk away as she spoke over her shoulder, "I'm late for a meeting."

Han blinked a couple of times. _Please accept my apology?_ Who was this person inhabiting the body of the princess? He took several long strides toward her and caught her arm. "You okay?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" she answered him.

Han's mouth fell open.

"Please, Han. Let go of me. I'm late for a meeting."

He dropped his hand from her arm.

"You said that already."

"Then you understand."

"Is the meeting in the hanger?"

The princess stopped. "No. It's in the conference…hall…"

She blinked and her bit her bottom lip as she looked down the corridor.

"Thank you." She turned on her heel and walked in the direction from which she came…

…And slammed into Han's chest again.

The impact forced her to take a few steps back, and Han caught her by her arms before she fell.

"Sorry."

Another apology. Solo looked her up and down. Her hair was pulled back in a sloppy bun with some free locks framing her face, and her shirt was untucked and buttoned wrong.

"Need some help with your hair?"

Leia touched her bun. "My hair?"

"And your shirt?"

"My shirt?" Leia tucked in her shirt and then frowned at her buttons.

Her fingers proved clumsy as she fiddled the buttons. She dropped her hands and looked up at him. "Yes, I would appreciate your help."

" _You_ want _me_ to help you."

"Please?"

Han's brow furrowed. _Princess Leia Organa_ , want-nothing-to-with him Leia, wanted _his_ help buttoning _her_ shirt. He hesitated and looked around. The corridor was empty. Solo pulled her shirt tails out, undid the mismatched buttons with deft fingers, and put them into their rightful holes. His eyes brushed over her underthings, but then a pinch of guilt nipped his stomach.

"Thank you."

Han placed his hands on his hips. She stood there for a moment, scratching the back of her left hand.

"I don't think you're okay."

"Why do you say that?"

He took her left hand in his. "What's this?"

Leia looked at her hand. "A spider bite."

Han used his free hand to tip her head up to get a look into her eyes. Large, brown, and unfocused.

"Did you see it?"

"What?"

"The spider."

"Yes. It's dead."

He placed the back of his hand on her forehead. Her skin was warm.

"Did you smash into oblivion?"

"No. It just died."

Han bit his lip. "What did it look like?"

"I don't know…a vibrant green with turquoise markings on its back and down each of his legs. It was rather pretty."

She started to scratch the welt swelling on her hand. Solo grabbed Leia's right wrist and jerked her hand away.

"Don't touch it."

"It itches."

"I'm sure. Scratching only makes it worse."

Solo lifted her left hand and scrutinized the welt. Upon the swollen spot were two pin-sized black marks. From the size and bruised appearance of her hand, she had been scratching at it for some time.

"Do you know when you were bitten?"

"This morning _."_ She looked past the smuggler. "I have to get to my meeting."

"Exactly when?"

"Right now."

Han rolled his eyes. "Exactly w _hen_ were you bitten?"

"I don't know. An hour ago. Maybe."

His brow furrowed as he ran his finger over her injured skin.

"Please, Han. I'm late for—"

"Where?"

"I told you. It's in the conference room."

Han bit back his impatience. "Where were you when you were bit?"

"I was in my quarters. It woke me up. _"_

Han pressed his lips together. He flipped her hand over to expose her wrist. A jagged purple line ran under her skin, stopping three centimeters below the crook of her arm. The dark contrast of the line against her alabaster skin reminded Han of a porcelain doll he accidently dropped.

"Turn around."

"Why?"

"Just do it."

She sighed and did as he ordered. Han reached behind her head. Then he dismantled her sloppy bun, sliding the band down the tail of her hair. He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her back around to face him. Then he slipped the band over her hand and rolled it up her arm until it reached the end of the jagged line.

"What are you doing?"

Solo took her left hand again and tipped it to the right. He removed his small knife from the sheath on his belt. "Hold still."

With lightning speed, Han slid the knife across her hand between the two pin-sized holes in her skin.

"Ow. Why'd you do that?"

"To get the poison out now."

She squinted at the purple froth and blood that spurted out of the wound. "Poison?"

"Yeah."

Han pulled a rag from his back pocket and pressed it against the wound he created. He grabbed her elbows and guided her forward.

"We need to get to the medical bay."

"But my meeting—"

"You already went to the meeting."

Leia furrowed her brow. "Oh."

Besides, you're bleeding."

"Because you cut me."

"Come on." Han led her away.

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The medical center's glass doors slid open. The doctor on call, Dr. Reg Salimni had just finished up with his patient when Han and Leia entered.

"Another injury, Solo?" Dr. Salimni asked.

"It's not me."

The doctor then noticed the red rag Han held against Leia's hand and rose from his seat.

"What happened?"

"Han cut my hand open."

"What—"

"She was bitten by a nicco spider."

"Take her to the first examining room."

Solo did as he was told.

"A nicco spider, you say?"

The doctor pulled on some latex gloves, adjusted his spectacles, and took the bloody rag off of Leia's wound.

"Why in twin stars would you cut the bite open?"

"To release the poison that was gathering underneath her skin where she was scratching. The eggs will need to be removed.

"Eggs?" Leia asked.

Han gently pressed his fingers against each side of the cut on Leia's hand, exposing a tiny onion-like sac with dark purple veins running up its bulbous sides.

"I've never seen anything like this."

Leia started to reach for her bitten hand, but Han caught her left hand before she could touch it.

"I want them out."

The doctor reached into a drawer and pulled out tweezers.

"That's not gonna work."

"Can they be squeezed out?"

"Not until the eggs cyst can be neutralized. If they're not, the eggs will get into her bloodstream."

"How do we do that?"

Han pulled out his commlink. "Chewie."

The commlink emitted a roar.

"I don't care if you were asleep. Leia's been bitten by a nicco spider."

Chewbacca rumbled a reply, Han deactivated the commlink.

"We have the anti-venom on the _Falcon._ Chewie will bring it."

Dr. Salimni started to remove the hairband from Leia's arm. "This band will cut off her circulation, Captain."

"I needed to slow the bleeding."

Salimni reached into a nearby drawer and retrieved a tourniquet band. He pulled the hairband off of Leia's arm, careful not to let it touch the cut on her hand. He tied the tourniquet band in its place. The doctor grabbed a gauzy bandage and pressed it against her hand. He then addressed the inactive droid in the corner.

"Two-One-Bee, get the broad spectrum anti-venom."

The droid came to life and left the room.

"Broad spectrum anti-venom won't work on a nicco spider bite," Han countered. "Chewie's bringing everything we'll need."

"Never mind, Two-One-Bee."

The droid froze.

Dr. Salimni lifted the bloody bandage. Leia's wound still bled but at a slower pace. The doctor twisted her wrist and noticed the jagged line climbing her arm.

"I've never seen a spider bite quite like this one before."

"Nicco spider bites are distinctive."

"I've never heard of a nicco spider."

"Neither have I," Leia chimed in as she leaned forward to get a better look at what the doctor was looking at. "They're pretty, though."

The bandage on her wound turned a deep red. Dr. Salimni pressed a clean bandage onto it.

"Lie back." Han pressed Leia's shoulder and she laid her head on the pillow. "They're extremely rare and probably the most venomous spider in the galaxy. I've seen it take out the largest Wookie I've ever known. They're native to Iborin and its three moons. Those are the only places they can live."

"A spider as small as the one that bit me took out a Wookie?" Leia asked.

The smuggler forced a small closed-mouth smile. "You're too stubborn to be taken out by a nicco spider."

Her large brown eyes gazed into his as if she was gauging the amount of truth in his words.

"The anti-venom is rare to come by. That Wookie didn't have a chance. Luckily, Chewie and I managed to obtain it."

"You've been bitten before?" the princess asked.

"No."

Chewie?"

"No. We just wanted to be prepared."

Leia nodded and her eyes fluttered closed. Han placed the back of his hand on her forehead. "Doctor, I think she has a fever."

The doctor pulled out a thermometer from his pocket and pressed the nozzle into Leia's ear. "102.2 Is this a symptom of the spider bite?"

Han lowered his voice and looked into Dr. Salimni's brown eyes. "No. Nicco spiders carry the Polium virus."

Salimni's lips formed a thin line. He slid his fingers under her jaw. "Her lymph nodes are swollen."

The doctor then pulled a thin light from his shirt pocket, lifted Leia's eyelids, and peered into each one. She wrinkled her nose and pushed his hand away.

"No sign of jaundice."

Han's countenance relaxed. "Good."

The doctor pinched her cheek and watched her skin slowly plump back into place.

"She's dehydrated, though. Is it okay to give her fluids?"

"Yeah."

"Two-One-Bee, bring a vial of filicyrin and an IV of saline solution."

The droid left the room and returned with the medicine and IV bag.

Han said, "Hold off on giving her the filicyrin."

"Why?"

"The anti-venom will counteract the effectiveness of it. You'll have to wait until the anti-venom is out of her system."

"But she could—"

"I know. Let's hope we have the time."

The princess winced as Two-One-Bee connected the IV tube to a vein in the back of her left hand.

"Leia!"

Luke rushed in behind Chewbacca, stopped by her side, and took her hand.

"Luke. How did your recognizant mission go?"

"Chewie told me what happen to you."

"What? You stopped to have a conversation?" Han snapped.

Chewbacca lashed back. He pushed Han out of the way, removed the bandage from Leia's hand, and studied her wound.

"I ran into Chewie when I was on my way to the hangar."

"Han cut my hand."

Han rolled his eyes. "It was necessary. Do you want me to apologize?"

"You apologize? Am I dying?"

"Nice."

Chewbacca unrolled a piece of leather, exposing a row of glass needles, several vials, a thin jar, and tweezers. He took Leia's hand and gently squeezed the wound exposing the egg sac. He pulled out a glass syringe with a long needle. Leia bit her lip and turned her head away. Luke wrapped his fingers around her fingers and gave them a squeeze.

"What? Our fearless princess is afraid of a little old needle?"

Han tapped the top of her head and she looked up at him.

"No." Her shaky voice contrasted her firm answer.

"I thought you were just afraid of me."

She narrowed her eyes on him. "You? Hardly."

Han leaned over her and placed a kiss on her forehead at the same moment Chewbacca pierced the egg sac with the needle. Leia's eyes widened and retracted.

"That wasn't so bad was it?"

"Yes. And don't think that'll work again."

Chewbacca who held up the syringe that now contained a cloudy substance with some wiggling noodles. Han and Chewie shared a look. The eggs had already hatched and were on the verge of breaking through the sac and entering her blood stream.

The Wookie turned to Dr. Salimni and gurreefed.

"He needs a specimen jar—a glass jar—filled halfway with sterilizing solution."

Dr. Salimni fulfilled Chewbacca's request. Han took the tiny jar, screwed off the top, and held it out to Chewie. Chewie put the tip of the needle into the cup until it touched the bottom. He then pressed down on the plunger and released the contents into the jar. The white worms ceased moving.

Chewbacca took his tweezers. The tips were sharp and thin. He pressed his fingers down against the edge of the cut. The deflated egg sac popped to the surface. With a steady hand, Chewie plucked the egg sac that was connected to her vein he placed it in the specimen jar. Han screwed the cap back on and Han deposited in the biohazard waste container.

The Wookie grabbed a narrow jar; the contents were grey and mud-like. He unscrewed the cap, and Leia and Luke wrinkled her nose.

"What's that for?" Dr. Salimni asked.

The Wookie gurred.

"Chewie says it's an antiseptic. It counteracts the effects of any of the poisonous sac that nourished the eggs."

Chewbacca garruffed and pointed at the bandages. The doctor opened fresh bandage and handed it to Chewie. Chewie spread a large amount of the gray goop onto the inside of the bandage, and placed it over Leia's wound.

"You're not going to close it?"

"The antiseptic has to get into her bloodstream. After a couple of days, you can suture it up."

After the bandage was in place, Chewie wrapped Leia's hand in gauze, using the whole roll. He then indicated he needed a compression bandage to immobilize her hand. The doctor complied after Han translated the Wookie's words.

Chewie turned his attention to his tools. He took out another glass syringe and a vial of amber liquid. This syringe had a thicker needle that turned Leia's stomach. Chewie pressed the needle into the vial and pulled up the plunger. The amber liquid traveled up to the top of the syringe.

"What's that for?" Leia asked.

"It'll neutralize any poison that's gotten into your blood."

"Oh."

Luke squeezed Leia's hand again. She squeezed back before tightly closing her eyes. Chewie instructed her to make a fist. He flipped her hand to expose her wrist and located a vein closest to the purple line running up her arm. He then slipped the needle into her vein as gently as possible and pressed down on the plunger. He removed the needle and pressed a cotton ball to the point of entry. Han covered the cotton ball with a band aid.

Leia's large brown eyes popped open and she turned her face to Han.

"She's gonna throw up," Luke said.

Han grabbed a nearby bucket, and Leia leaned over it, expelling the contents of her stomach. Her eyes watered as she wretched two more times. Han frowned; there were traces of blood in the vomit, another symptom of the Polium virus.

Luke fetched a glass of water and held it to Leia's mouth. She sipped it, swished it in her mouth, and spit it into the bucket. Then she gulped the water down. Han took a paper towel and wiped the tears from her eyes and the blood from around her mouth.

"Feel better?"

She shook her head "no" as she lay back down.

"Tell me about the recognizant mission, Luke. Did you find safe place for the base?"

Dr. Salimni pulled Han aside. "Her symptoms are getting worse."

Han pressed his lips together. "We have to wait eight hours before the anti-venom serum is out of her bloodstream."

"She may not have that long."

"All we can do is treat the symptoms until her immune system kicks in," Han said. "We have bigger things to worry about."

"Like what?"

Chewie rumbled and gurred softly.

Han exchanged a look with his best friend and put his hands on his hips. "Nicco spiders can only survive on ships for a couple of hours. Space is too cold for them. They need a special habitat to survive."

"Then how did it get into the princess's quarters?"

"That's what I'm wondering."


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2:

"You think this was an assassination attempt?" Dr. Salimni asked as he glanced over at the princess.

Princess Leia Organa's eyes opened in slits and focused on Han.

"That's ridiculous," she said.

Luke's wide eyes settled on Han as he continued to rub his fingers over Leia's hand.

"Who would want to kill Leia?"

Han stood akimbo. "Who wouldn't want to kill her? She has a bounty on her head courtesy of the Empire. She'd make someone very rich."

"This could've just been an accident."

"Nicco spiders can only survive for a few hours or so in space. There's no way it could've just gotten into your room by accident."

"It could've crawled into a ship and found its way to Leia's quarters," Luke said.

"Only if it was in a specialized habitat." Han answered. "It takes seven hours to get from the Iborin system to here. That spider would've never survived the trip."

"Maybe someone was keeping it as a pet and it got out."

Han's lips pulled up to the right. "A small amount of venom causes hallucinations. The traces of venom on its legs aren't enough to kill you, and some on Iborin are willing to take the risk of dying for that six-hour high. Nicco spiders are easily startled and lash out faster than anyone expects. It takes a very expensive expert to handle them. Know of any rich nicco spider experts here on Home One?" he waited for an answer. "This was an assassination attempt."

"Are there any Ibrorians on this base?" Dr. Salimni asked.

"Not that I know," Leia answered. "I don't think so."

"Any missions take place in the Iborin System?" Luke asked.

Leia rolled her bottom lip between her teeth and looked at Han. "You picked up that shipment of weapons on one of Irobin's moon."

Han met Leia's eyes. "You think it's me?"

"Of course not." She closed her eyes.

"That was three weeks ago."

"I'm just saying, that if this was an assassination attempt—"

"It was."

Leia inhaled. "You're going to be the primary suspect."

Han pressed his lips together. "I know."

Everyone remained silent before Chewbacca spoke up.

"Good idea." Han picked up the nearest empty specimen cup and handed it to his best friend. "She said she didn't smash it—"

"I didn't smash it."

"I just said you didn't."

She opened her eyes to slits. "There was a tone."

"I didn't have a tone. You're just—"

"There was a tone. Right, Luke?"

Luke's mouth opened and closed as Han glared at him.

"I…I didn't hear one," he meekly said.

"Because there was none."

"Yes, there—"

Chewbacca roared, and everyone started.

"Why do you need the spider?" Luke asked.

"The blood in its heart can speed up the effects of the anti-venom." Han translated. "We can give her the treatment for Polium sooner."

"Won't Chewie be at risk because of the venom on its legs?" Leia asked.

Chewbacca grumbled.

"Don't worry, Sweetheart. He knows how to handle them." Then Han turned to the Wookie. "What's holdin' you up, you big furry oaf?"

Chewie pulled back his lips, exposing his teeth, and grumbled.

"Before anyone goes anywhere, I need to give you all vaccines to prevent you from spreading the virus to the rest of the base." Dr. Salimni walked out of the examining room.

"It's only transmitted through bodily fluids."

"Which we all have been exposed to, Captain." Salimni returned to the room with four vaccinations.

"Chewie first."

Chewbacca roared and shook his head.

"You're gonna act like a wuss in front of the princess?"

The Wookie's canines pressed into his bottom lip as he held out his arm to the doctor. He let out a menacing roar as the needle pierced his skin, causing Doctor Salimni to jump.

"You, big baby. Now go find that spider."

Chewie mumbled under his breath as he left.

Han rolled up his sleeve and let the doctor vaccinate him. Luke followed suit.

"We can't let anyone know anything about the spider or Leia's illness." Han eyed the doctor. "If anyone asks, say she's on the _Falcon_ recovering from the flu. We don't want the culprit to know we're him."

"Or her," Luke piped up.

Han narrowed his eyes on Skywalker. "Or them." Then he returned his attention to the doctor. "I know this is a level two virus, but Leia's life is in danger." The Solo added, "Besides, you don't want the whole ship to panic."

"I understand your need for silence on this matter. No one will find out from me."

"The medical bay usually gets pretty busy as the day goes by."

"You would know."

Han's eyes slid to Leia. Her forehead was furrowed, but she wore an impish smile.

"Is there a place here that's not used?"

"The left wing. It's being reconstructed after that oxygen tank explosion," the doctor said. "The construction crew was pulled off the project to deal with the carbon-monoxide leak in the Command Center. They're searching for more leaks throughout the ship."

"Good. They have a lot of work. Move her to that wing until we can move her to the _Falcon_."

"She should be in the isolation ward. Polium is highly contagious."

"Isolate her in the construction area." Han said.

The doctor pressed his lips together. "Fine, but I can't guarantee no one will enter the construction area."

Han rolled his lips between his teeth and looked at Luke. "Your droid can guard the entrance. Those droids can be very insistent."

"You would know." Leia exchanged a smile with Luke.

"Nice," Han rolled his eyes. "One of us will always be with her. Luke, you're on first watch."

"I'm not going to leave her side until she's better."

"You can't—"

"Han—"

"You need to keep up with appearances, do your duties so no one gets suspicious. No one can know she's as sick as she is," Han said. "If you didn't commit yourself to the Rebellion like me, you'd get to stay as long as you want."

Luke frowned and gave Han an exasperated look.

"But I expect you here when you have time off."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

Han pressed his lips together in a closed-mouth smile. "I'm gonna share my theories with General Reikken. We'll need someone in the High Command's help to find the assassin."

"Are you sure you should?" Luke asked.

"Reikken can be trusted," Leia said.

"I'll be back," Han said over his shoulder as he left the examining room.

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Han Solo stalked to the Command Center and looked for the only High Command officer that he trusted.

"General Reikken?"

"Solo, Good morning. Here to join the rebellion officially?"

When Han didn't smile, the general sobered. "What can I do for you?"

"I put in a request for a starskin replacement with the princess, but I haven't gotten it."

"Perhaps she just hasn't had time yet."

"Or she's just pissed at me and being spiteful."

The general rolled his lips to hide his smile. "So you've come to me."

"I may be able to repair it, but I need some grit mesh."

"That's hard to come by."

"That's why I'm coming to you." Han's hazel eyes pierced Reikken's.

"Let me…let me take a look at it myself."

"General, we have mechanics to do that," Colonel Liston said.

"But I specialize in starskins, Colonel." Reikken's authoritative tone caused the Liston to step back. "You take over here. I won't be long."

Han flashed a smug smile at the colonel. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was just something Han didn't like about the guy. Perhaps it was the attention Colonel Liston gave to Leia. Liston was Alderaani, and he often monopolized Leia's free time, and she seemed to have no problem with that. Colonel Liston also spent a lot of time working side-by-side with her. Did that make Han jealous? Was that why Han didn't like him?

 _No_. Han pushed the thought out of his mind, mainly because he didn't like the answer. His smile faded. He turned on his heel and followed General Reikken to the hangar.

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Once Han and Reikken were aboard the _Millennium Falcon_ and the ramp was closed, the general crossed his arms over his chest.

"So what's so urgent, Solo?"

"I think someone is trying to assassinate the princess."

"A rebel here?" Reikken shook his head. "Most of this base is comprised of Alderaani. They practically worship her."

"Not all are Alderaani, and she is worth a lot of money dead."

"But even more alive."

"Can you imagine if someone tried to take Leia alive? That would be dangerous for the best bounty hunter." Han then smiled. "I'd like to see her take on Boba Fett. That would solve a lot of my problems." He sobered. "Anyhow, this morning Leia was bitten by a nicco spider."

Reikken's hands dropped to his hips. "Here?"

"In her quarters."

"Are you sure?"

"I saw the bite mark, an' Chewie's lookin' for the dead spider as we speak."

"But they can't live under space conditions."

"Right. That means someone had to bring it here in a special habitat and put it in Leia's room."

"That seems like a lot of trouble."

"Not if they're determined to kill her."

"They would have to know her security code."

"That's what worries me. Who would have that information?"

"She would, of course, and whoever she gave it to."

"It wouldn't be likely that she'd give that out to anyone. I don't think even Luke knows it, and you know how close she is to him."

"You really think it was an assassination attempt?"

"That's the only thing that makes sense to me."

Reikken pulled on his chin. To think someone here on this base…They vetted everyone. There couldn't be an assassin on the base.

"Think about it, General. There have been too many accidents lately, and this spider bite wasn't an accident."

"You mean the fire in the High Command wing and the cargo incident that killed Colonel Klickon?"

"And the carbon monoxide leak in the Command Center. The blaster cartridges exploding—that had to be rigged. Leia was present at all those so-called accidents."

"Maybe the assassins targeting the High Command?"

"That's possible, but Klickon wasn't a member of the High Command, and only Leia and her staff were in the Command Center when the carbon monoxide leak happened. All I know is that Leia's life is on the line. I don't want to take any chances."

The general inhaled slowly then released his breath.

"We need to find her assassin without him knowing we're looking for him. Or at the very least, get Leia off Home One."

"She's in the medical bay?"

"Yeah. Luke's with her and Dr. Salimni said he'd keep his mouth shut. Can you trust him?"

"He's bound to patient confidentiality. How is she doing?"

"But is he trustworthy?"

"Yes. Tell me, how is she doing?"

"The anti-venom is still in her system, and she contracted the Polium virus."

"The Polium virus? You can't give her filicyrin until the anti-venom clears her system." Reikken looked at his feet.

"Right."

"What is her survival chance?"

"I dunno. She's already showing signs of stage two. Doctor Salimni is treating her symptoms until we can give her the filicyrin. If Chewie finds the spider, the blood in its heart will speed up the anti-venom's effect and clear it out of her system so she can be treated for the Polium."

The general ran his hand over his beard. "So if the anti-venom doesn't kill her and if the Polium symptoms don't kill her before Doctor Salimni can give her filicyrin…I need to see her."

"Of course." Han answered. "But you can't let anyone on the High Command know."

"You think the assassin could be a member of the High Command?"

"I dunno. It's possible. Anyhow, it's best that no one else knows."

"So who does know?"

"Luke, Chewie, Doctor Salimni. Me."

"The rest of the High Command and personnel will wonder where she is."

"Tell them she has a bad case of the flu, and she's recovering on the _Falcon_."

"The _Falcon_?"

"That'll discourage people from trying to see her. No one wants to mess with a Wookie."

Both men turned around as they heard the ramp of the _Millennium Falcon_ lower. Chewbacca came bounding into the corridor holding up the specimen jar with the spider inside. He growled triumphantly. Han took the jar from Chewie's hand and turned it side to side. Reikken leaned in to get a look at it.

"Well, that's definitely a nicco spider," Reikken said. "I'm going to see her now."

Han grabbed his arm. "It's best you return to your duties and see her when you're off. We don't want anyone to get suspicious. Remember, you're here to deal with the starskin."

"Right."

"I'll let you know if she turns for the worse."

"I'll be in to see her as soon as I fulfill my duties."

"She's in the wing of the medical bay that's under construction. Salimni's droid will be guarding the entrance so you'll have to see him to get in."

"Okay. I better get back to the Command Center. Take good care of her."

"You don't need to worry about that."

Chewie growled. Reikken nodded at him before disappearing down the ramp.

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Back in the medical bay, Chewbacca looked into the magnifying glass and drew a scalpel down the nicco spider's abdomen as Han watched over his shoulder. The Wookie pulled the exoskeleton in half to reveal the spider's heart. Then, with the greatest of care, he extracted the heart. Han handed him a petri dish. Once Chewie placed the heart into the dish, Han put the dish on the counter and used the flat side of another scalpel to flatten the organ. Lavender blood seeped out. Chewbacca used an eyedropper to suck the liquid up.

"I hope this is enough."

Chewie discarded the heart and spider in the biohazard container and followed Han to the unconstructed wing.

"How's she doin'?"

Luke looked up. His face was all Han needed to see to know the answer to his question. Han went over to Leia's side. She was restless as if she was trying to find a comfortable position. Ice packs lay upon her stomach and groin and under her armpits. Luke held an ice pack to her forehead. Han could smell the rubbing alcohol that rose from her wet clothes.

"Her fever has reached 104.9," Dr. Salimni said. "And she's hallucinating. She's reached the pain stage. I've maxed out the pain medication. If I give her any more, she'll go into a respiratory crisis."

"We have something that'll help."

Han held up the eyedropper.

"What's that?"

Chewie explained and Han translated for the doctor, "The blood from the heart of the spider. It'll speed up the effects of the anti-venom and clear it out of her system. It's also a great pain killer."

"Will it have a negative effect on the morphine?"

"No. The anti-venom is interfering with the morphine. That's why she's still in pain."

Han moved to stand behind Leia's head. Luke removed the ice pack.

"Hold her head still."

Luke did as he was told, and Han pulled open one of her eyes.

"Vader…" Leia pushed his hand away. "I won't—"

"No, it's Han, Sweetheart. Vader can't hurt you. Now open your eyes and hold still."

Leia opened her eyes. "Han," she breathed.

Han smiled at her. "This will take away the pain."

He held the dropper over her right eye and squeezed the rubber handle. Two drops fell out. He repeated the process with her other eye. She sighed and her body went limp. Luke put the ice pack back onto her forehead.

"She's been throwing up blood. I fear the lining of her stomach is ulcerated. She's close to stage three."

Han grimaced. Stage three. Her chances of survival were waning. Only twenty percent of those bitten by a nicco spider survived stage three.

Chewbacca gurred and mumbled. Han placed his hands on his hips and looked at him.

"Are you sure?"

Chewie growled again.

Han turned to Doctor Salimni. "Chewie says we can't wait any longer. Go ahead and give her the filicyrin."

Salimni grabbed the bag of filicyrin from a work table and connected it to Leia's IV.

"Now, all we can do is wait," the doctor said. "I'll be in to check on her soon."

Solo nodded at the doctor who placed a hand on Han's shoulder as he passed him by. Han ran his finger along Leia's swollen cheek.

"You're gonna be okay." _You have to be._


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

It was late in the night, or early in the morning, depending on the way one looked at things. To Han Solo, it was late. For the last couple of hours, he had been tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Instead of wasting time on a sleepless night, Han decided to check on the princess. He passed the Two-One-Bee medical-now-guard droidand entered the wing of the medical bay under construction. He turned the corner and stepped into the room. Chewbacca was sitting in the chair closest to Leia's bed.

The Wookie greeted Han with a quiet rumbling.

"Couldn't sleep. How's she doing?"

Chewie gurrended.

Han pressed his lips together. "Well, at least her fever is going down."

Chewie grumbled.

"Why don't you go get some sleep? I'll take over here."

Chewbacca rewroffed.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

The Wookie yawned and stretched as he stood up. He arched his back and mumbled.

"I'm sure that chair wasn't meant for Wookies."

Chewie grumbled a good night and left the room.

Once his best friend left the room, Han stepped close to Leia's bed. He gazed down on her face. Her cheeks were swollen and pink from a rash, a reaction from starting the filicyrin before the anti-venom cleared her system. Han smiled down at her. Those round cheeks reminded him of when he first saw her on the Death Star. She was what, eighteen on the verge of nineteen, just a kid; her face was still round with baby fat. Over the last three years, Solo watched that baby fat melt away as the war and her obligations took a toll on her. Now, she was twenty-two-years old, and she had grown into a woman more mature than her age. Well, she was always more mature than her age.

Han reached out and ran the back of his finger along the rough skin of her cheek.

"Han?"

"Yeah. How you feelin'?"

Her eyes opened and closed. "Leave…"

He pulled his hand back.

"Carbon…Vader… pay Jabba…" Then Leia turned her head away from him. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered.

A single tear slid down her cheek. Han brushed it away. "I'm not goin' anywhere."

Her respiration settled into a rhythm, and she said no more. Han stood over her, trying to make sense of her words. She had to be dreaming. Han hated to think his threats of leaving the Alliance to pay of Jabba the Hutt her dreams. More so, he hated that his debt to that slimy Hutt kept a wall between them. He knew Leia didn't trust him wholeheartedly. But why would she? While he hadn't spoken of the debt around her in a long while, it was his go-to excuse for not officially joining the Rebellion for a couple of years. She finally stopped pestering him; he finally stopped bringing up his debt to Jabba and his inevitable departure from the Rebellion. No, he stopped bringing it up because he was considering to hide out with the Rebellion for the rest of the war.

Han sat down and slipped his hand under hers. To his surprise, her fingers curled around his and firmly gripped his hand. He studied her hand, so pale, so small in his own. And soft. He had held her hand before, but they were usually running or their physical contact was too brief, too quick to notice the details of her hand. Leia was rarely still, and now Han had the rare opportunity to appreciate her hand.

If only it wasn't because she was sick…

Han exhaled. Despite the rash and remnants of her fever, she was improving. If she got through the night, her odds would greatly increase. A knot had formed in his chest beginning when he saw the bite on Leia's hand. It had increasingly tightened to the point that he experienced a dull pain when he inhaled. Morning would come soon. If she—and he—could make it to the morning, there was hope.

Solo hadn't experienced such fear and anxiety over someone since the last time Chewbacca was hit in the head by falling permacrete when a building collapsed on them during the Battle of Credis. Chewie had been unconscious nearly a week. Han was so wound up about the possible death of his best friend that he drove the medical personnel crazy.

It was Leia who helped him get through it. Her ability to stay calm in the face of crisis, her hand on his arm, and her soothing words managed to ease his fears. She made sure he ate by bringing him meals and nagging him until his tray was empty. She forced him to take breaks so he could get sleep by banning him from Chewie's room and promising to sit with Chewie until Han returned. Often Han caught her holding Chewie's hand and telling him of her feelings about the loss of her family, her guilt over the destruction of the Empire, and the stresses she faced in during her day. Once, Han hovered at the door while Leia spoke of him. She had been expressing her frustration with him, but ended by admitting that she liked him around.

 _But don't tell Han. It'll just go to his head and I'll never hear the end of it._

Solo sported a small smile at the memory, but the smile faded as he looked into her face. Here he was again, and he didn't have Leia to get him through it this time. Han dropped his forehead on the bed next to her hand.

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"Huh?"

Chewbacca emitted a series of growls and ruwauffs.

"I wasn't asleep. I—"

Chewie growled again.

"Whatever."

Chewie moved to Leia's left side and pulled out the leather satchel out of his bag. He picked up Leia's injured hand and unwrapped the thick compression bandages.

Leia opened her eyes. "Chewie." She lifted her head before letting it fall back onto the pillow.

He greeted her with a cheery garruff.

Han let go of her hand. "How you feelin', Sweetheart?"

"Like I've been...trampled by…a herd of Nerfs."

"That's normal. You're still recovering."

Chewbacca agreed. Once the gauze and compression bandages were removed, he pulled off the square bandage that lay upon her wound. It was stained with blood. Han frowned at the slice in her skin and couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. However, if he hadn't cut her, she might have died from the spider's larvae alone. Han swallowed an apology.

Leia fought a losing battle to keep her eyes open as Chewie work. He discarded the bloody patch, pulled out a jar, and rubbed the muddy substance on a clean bandage patch. He then placed it over her wound.

"When can it be sewn up?" Han asked.

Chewie grumbled.

"How many is a few more days?"

Chewie shrugged as he answered Han.

"Hey, Your Worshipfulness." Han nudged Leia.

She opened her eyes and turned her head towards him. Her eyes narrowed on him.

"Are you feeling pain?"

"Not in my hand."

"Move your fingers."

Leia opened and closed her fingers.

"Good."

"Where else are you hurting?"

She closed her eyes again. "My head…my chest…joints."

"Anywhere else?"

"My stomach."

Han placed his hand on Leia's head. Her eyes opened to slits. "What number on the pain scale?"

She closed her eyes.

"Leia?"

"I don't know. About a nine?"

He then asked his best friend, "Will morphine work now?"

The Wookie warrahed.

"I can take it," she said as she pushed Han's hand off of her head.

"Why when you don't have to? I'll go get Dr. Salimni." Han exited the room.

After securing the new patch over Leia's wound, Chewie rewrapped her hand with a thin layer of gauze and then wound a compression bandage over the gauze bandage.

He brayed, and Leia opened and closed her hand.

Reikken entered the room.

"Hello, Chewbacca. How is she doing?"

"Carlist." Leia opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine," she said, though her voice was weak.

Chewie garruffed; Reikken frowned.

"Shut up…Chewie," she hissed as her eyes closed again.

The Wookie mumbled and murrowed as he got up and headed to the door.

"See you…later," Leia said.

"How are you feeling?" Reikken asked.

"I have…so much work…to do."

"You don't worry about that right now. Just get better."

"Update me. What's…the progress on…Operation Treehorn?"

"It's being taken care of."

"By who?"

"Admiral Feldor."

"I should—"

"Leia, you're seriously sick. You're no good to anyone in your condition. Get better."

Han walked in with Dr. Salimni.

General Reikken," the doctor greeted the high-ranking officer.

"Doctor. What's her prognosis?"

The doctor began examining her. "Her oxygen levels are a little low. I'm going to increase the levels." He pressed a blue button on the monitor several times and adjusted the oxygen line under Leia's nose. "Princess." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "Han says your pain level is a nine."

"I can handle it."

"Not in your current state."

Salimni hung a morphine drip. He then felt under each side of her jaw. "Lymph nodes are still swollen. I thought it would be down by now." He ran a scanner over her body. "Joints are inflamed and you definitely have two ulcers on the lining of your stomach. Have you been vomiting?"

She shook her head.

"Not since yesterday," Han said.

"Open your mouth?" Salimni used a penlight to take a look. "Hm. The rash has spread to her mouth and throat. If it spreads to her lungs, the Polium virus can be spread through the air. Let me know if she starts coughing."

Han bit the inside of his cheek. "She's been on filicyrin for three days now. She should be getting better."

"I'll increase the drip and add baronicillin."

"That's a dangerous combination," Reikken said.

"If we can't stop the virus from being transmitted by air, then we're going to have an epidemic on this ship, and we don't have enough preventative vaccines or filicyrin to cover everyone."

Salimni picked up Leia's injured hand.

"Chewie changed the bandage."

"How did it look?"

"It's not infected, but he said it's not ready to be stitched up yet."

"She's not out of danger yet," Dr. Salimni quietly said. "I'll laser the ulcers when she's stronger."

"I think it's best to move her to the _Falcon_ tonight."

"Moving her can make her worse."

"We've been in an' out of a wing of the medical bay under construction. We're attracting attention. Last thing I want is for the assassin to figure out she's here."

"The medical personnel won't say anything even if they are suspicious. Doctor-patient confidentiality."

"Even talk among themselves is dangerous," Reikken said.

"And the assassin could be on your staff."

Dr. Salimni touched his chin. "I suppose you're right, but you'll be risking her life."

"Her life's at risk here."

"General Reikken?"

Reikken sighed. "As much as I don't like the idea of moving her, Captain Solo is right."

"Is there a way to rig a fire drill or something to clear out this section of the base and the hangar tonight say like oh-three-hundred hours?"

"I could arrange a breach of the airlocks drill. I'm sure I could get the High Command to approve."

"Won't they be suspicious?"

"We're due for that drill."

"Good."

Luke Skywalker walked into the room still wearing his pilot suit and holding his helmet under his arm.

"Hey, Han, General Reikken," he said. Then he looked at Leia who appeared to be sleeping. "Is she doing better?"

"Improving as we speak," Han answered before Dr. Salimni or the general had time to speak.

Reikken and the doctor exchanged a look.

Han nudged Leia. "Hey, Your Highnessness. Luke's here."

Leia opened her eyes and reached out her right hand to Luke. He moved to her side and took his hand.

"There are too many visitors," Dr. Salimni admonished. She needs her rest."

"Right." Han put a hand on General Reikken's shoulder. "I'll walk you back to the Command Center. I have something to tell you." He looked over his shoulder. "Take good care of her, Luke. If you need to leave, contact Chewie."

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Han spoke in a hushed voice as they walked down the corridor. "When Chewie went to find the spider in Leia's quarters he noticed that the lock had been tampered with."

"Tampered with?"

"Someone rigged it so it wouldn't lock."

"So it was definitely an assassination attempt."

"We need to identify this assassin sooner than later. Has anyone asked about her?"

"Of course."

"Who?"

"The High Command, Colonel Liston—"

Han grunted. "I don't care if they went to school together. I don't trust that guy. I wouldn't be surprised if he turns out to be the assassin."

"Why do you think that?"

"He shows too much interest in her."

Reikken looked down at his feet and smiled. "I think he's harmless. She's known him for a long time, now.

"But she hasn't seen him in years."

"He's good friends with her. I doubt he's the assassin."

Han grunted.

"He and the High Command aren't the only ones inquiring about her."

"Who else?"

"Some members of the Alderaani Collective. She's very important to them."

"What you tell 'em?"

"Exactly what you told me. She's recovering from a bad case of the flu. It has been going around lately."

"Tell anyone asking that she's back in her quarters. Put a camera on her door. Perhaps the culprit will be back."

"Good idea."

"Until then we need to come up with a plan to find the assassin before he succeeds." Han changed directions. "Chewie can help with that. I'll be on the _Falcon_ if you need me."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Leia awoke feeling groggy. She looked around and frowned; she was no longer in the medical bay but in the infirmary on the _Millennium Falcon_. She placed her hands on the sides of the bed and tried to sit up. She winced as a sharp pain shot through her left hand. She let her body fall back on the bed and lifted her bandaged hand. The bandage was not as thick as she remembered, just a compression bandage. Leia unwound the bandage. Blue stitches closed the straight line Han had carved between her thumb and forefinger.

The princess tried to sit up again, but this time she used only her right hand to push herself up. As soon as she was in a seated position she winced as he a dull pain took over belly. The princess pushed back the covers and lifted her shirt. There were three red marks on her skin, signs that she had laser surgery.

"Hey, Sweetheart." Han strolled into the infirmary carrying a bowl. "I was just coming to check on you." His smile faded when he saw her unwrapped hand. "Whadya do?"

"How did I get on the _Falcon_?"

"Chewie brought you."

"Why?"

"We needed to get you outa the medical bay before anyone noticed you were there."

"Oh."

Han put down the bowl and picked up the compression bandage. "Why'd you take this off?"

"I wanted to see the damage."

"Dr. Salimni just stitched up a couple of days ago. You're gonna pull 'em out if you're not careful."

"And this?" She pointed to her stomach.

"The Polium virus caused a few ulcers. The doctor lasered them away."

"When?"

"Four days ago. He said you'd be sore for about a week or so."

Han picked up a tube of salve. He screwed off the cap and squeezed a dollop onto his index finger.

"I can do it."

"Sure."

He started to smooth the salve onto one of the red marks on her stomach. Leia shoved his hand away.

"Give me."

She held out her index finger. Han muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"What?"

"Never mind. Just give some to me."

Han squeezed a dollop of salve onto her finger and she rubbed it on the remaining red marks.

He held up the compression bandage. "Gimme your hand. Or do you think you can do this by yourself?"

Leia narrowed her eyes on him but held out her hand. He wound the compression bandage around it to limit the movement of her hand. Once he finished, Leia stretched out her fingers as far as they would go.

"Ow."

"Bandage too tight?"

"No, my hand just hurts. I don't recall it hurting this much."

"That's cos that crap Chewie put on the bandages works as a pain killer as well as an antiseptic."

"Can he put some of that on it now?"

"It'll do no good now. The wound is closed."

"Oh."

"Nicco spider bite pain can last a few weeks."

Han collected a couple of pillows from an overhead bin and placed them behind Leia. She lay back and exhaled. Solo began to pull her shirt back into place, but she scowled at him and did it herself before pulling the bed clothes over her.

"How long have I been out of it?"

"Three days in the medical bay. Four days here."

"What?"

"You were really sick. How you feelin' now?"

"Okay."

Han tilted his head and pursed his lips.

"A bit weak and sore," she said.

Han picked up the bowl he had brought into the infirmary. "You need to eat something."

"I'm not really hungry."

"I know, but you have to eat something."

"It does smell good. What is it?"

"Chewie's get-well-or-else soup."

"'Get-well-or-else soup'?"

"It has medicinal properties."

"What's in it?"

"All I know is nerf and lemon grass. He won't tell me the rest."

Han used the spoon to stir it, releasing more of its aroma and allowing her to see the contents. The broth was a transparent orange with chunks of nerf, strands of lemon grass, some kind of mushroom, and a few other items Leia didn't recognize. Han scooped up the floating contents of the soup and lifted the spoon to her lips.

With her good hand Leia ripped the spoon from Han's hand. "I can do it, Captain."

Han rolled his eyes. "Someone's feelin' better."

He held out the bowl to her. Leia reached out with her bandaged hand then grimaced.

"Want my help now? Or are do you wanna spill soup allover yourself?"

Leia stewed for a moment. "Fine," she mumbled.

The princess blew on the contents of the spoon before sliding it into her mouth. Her eyes closed and her haughty scowl melted away. Han's stomach flipped. It was rare that he had the privilege of witnessing such a sight; it seemed like there was very little room for pleasure in her life.

Leia opened her large brown eyes. Han looked away, hoping she didn't catch him watching her.

"This is even better than it smells."

"Chewie is a whiz in the kitchen."

Leia smiled at him—a genuine smile pointed at him—that was contagious. Without another word, she finished the soup.

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"Where is she?"

Chewbacca shrugged.

"I told you if she left the _Falcon,_ _y_ ou're to follow her!"

The Wookie scooped up a spoonful of oatmeal and shoved it in his mouth. He pointed to his mouth and then held out his hands.

"Hurry up and swallow!" Han snapped. "That assassin is still out there. She's not safe."

Chewie tilted his head and gurruffed.

"No, I didn't expect her to stay on the _Falcon_ forever. I don't want her to stay forever. She's been nothing but a pain in my ass. But I don't want her to get killed either."

The Wookie brayed.

"Never mind. I'll go find her myself."

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Han stormed into the mess hall and looked around. He spotted Leia carrying a tray and about to take a seat at an empty table. He stalked over to her and sat down across from her.

"Whadya doin'?"

"What does it look like?"

"Why aren't you eating breakfast on the _Falcon_?"

"Because I'm sick of oatmeal and you've ran out of lami honey."

"It's not safe for you."

"It's just breakfast."

"You're putting yourself in danger, Your Worship."

"No one's going to kill me in such a public place."

"You're willing to bet your life on that?"

Leia glared at Han. Han then took her fork out of her hand. He scooped up a small amount of powdered fenyl eggs and put it in his mouth. He then did the same with the nerf sausage and potatoes.

"What do you think you're doing!"

Han grabbed her cup of nerf milk and took a sip.

The princess grabbed the cup out of his hand. "Go get your own." Then she sharply inhaled. "You're testing my food for poison. You think the cook is the assassin?"

"Could be."

Leia shook her head. "And what if it was poisoned?"

"Then I wouldn't let you eat it!"

"Are you crazy?"

"Depends on who you ask."

"If it was poisoned…are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I took small bites."

"One bite could've killed you."

"It'd take more than poison to kill me."

Her mouth opened and closed as her brow furrowed and her face turned red.

Han spread his arms out. "Hey, it's me."

"You're such a dif'ling idiot."

"Such foul language from such a pretty mouth. Not very becoming, Your High-and-Mightiness."

Leia huffed. "You're not immortal, Captain. What if you died?"

"What if you died? Remember, you came pretty close to dying a couple of days ago." Han leaned forward.

"I'm not taking stupid risks."

"You're not?" Solo sat back and looked around.

Leia looked around as well and quieted her voice. "I didn't eat something that I thought was poisoned."

"It wasn't."

"But you thought it could be."

Han shrugged. "You didn't."

"Oh! You're always taking such stupid, idiotic… _pointless_ risks."

"Idiotic? Pointless?" He pointed a finger at her. "I got you off of the Death Star, Sweetheart. If it wasn't for my brilliant _risks_ do you think you'd be sittin' here eating a breakfast that could have been poisoned?"

Leia shoved her tray away from her.

"Now you're not gonna eat? After all the trouble I went through to make sure it wasn't poisoned?"

"I've lost my appetite."

Han and Leia glared at each other.

"Hey," Luke said as he sat down next to Leia. He punctured his sausage link with his fork. "Nerf sausage. What a great way to start off the day."

Leia mumbled an Alderaani curse and Han grunted. They both rose to their feet and stalked off in different directions.

Luke was left there holding his sausage link up to his mouth. "What did I say?"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Han Solo stalked into the mess hall, hoping to find Princess Leia Organa there. It had been three days since she moved out of the _Falcon_ and into her quarters. Chewbacca had fixed the lock on her door, upgrading it by adding a hidden compartment that required a small brass key. Chewie had attached the key to a chat, and she wore it around her neck tucked inside her uniform.

 _Chewie gurrfed and gawed._

" _I didn't expect her to stay here indefinitely. But with that assassin out there, she's not safe."_

 _Chewie reeveered._

" _She wasn't a prisoner."_

 _Chewie grayyeed._

" _I know, I just don't like using her for bait. Besides, she's a target wherever she goes on Home One. And most likely an attack will take place at night when parts of the ship are deserted."_

 _The Wookie harrued._

" _Luke's an idiot. You didn't have to fix her lock."_

 _Chewie grumbled._

" _Whatever!"_

After that conversation, Han refused to speak to his best friend for a couple of days. And since his argument with Leia in the mess hall, he hadn't spoken to her either. Or she wasn't speaking to him. After their arguments, he could never tell.

Han stood akimbo at the entrance of the mess hall and scanned the room. He scowled when he spotted her sitting at the table with Colonel Liston ( _Liston! Would he test her food for poison?)._ She wore a smile that was warm, open. Not like the smiles she gave him. No, she gave him smug or sarcastic smiles. Rarely did Han inspire a smile like the one she wore for Liston. Han frowned. Maybe he should be a little nicer to her, but she made it so difficult sometimes.

Leia looked over in Han's direction; her smile slipped and she narrowed her large brown eyes at him. Liston must have said something because she looked back, shook her head, and smiled at him again. Han grunted and stormed out of the mess hall. Oatmeal was sounding much better than the pancakes and porcine bacon that was being served.

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Han hadn't seen Leia the rest of the day when he saw her walking down the corridor in his direction. His mood darkened more than it already was. All he wanted to do is reach the hangar and have Corellian ale on the _Falcon_ before he turned in for the night. And now he had to face this pint-sized obstacle. He was certain she'd have nothing nice to say to him; she rarely did. Han thought about changing direction, but there were no adjacent corridors, and if he turned around now…well, that was out of the question. He would not give her the satisfaction. He continued on his path.

As soon as Leia saw him, she folded her arms across her chest. There was that scowl again. As they closed the gap between them, Han braced himself for another blow out. _A great way to end the day_ , Han thought. However, it'd be satisfying to release some of his pent-up anger and put her in her place.

Or maybe she wouldn't give him the chance. She could just walk right past him as if he wasn't there. That would mean she won. No, Han wasn't going to let that happen. He made sure to walk in the middle of the corridor so that she'd be forced to confront him. As soon as they were standing a couple of feet in front of each other, they came to a stop. Han rested his hands on his hips; he was going to force her to make the first move.

Leia stood there in front of him and looked into Han's eyes. Her expression softened. Then she closed the gap between them, wrapped her arms around his waist, and rested her cheek against his chest.

Han froze. He held out his arms, unsure what to do. Leia's embrace tightened, and Han found himself wrapping his arms around her. His touch was gentle, delicate; he was too afraid to tighten his hold on her in fear that she would turn on him. When his shock faded, he opened himself up to the sensation of this unexpected embrace.

Leia had hugged him before, but usually when they triumphed in a battle or after a narrow escape. Those hugs didn't last long, and theirs was always a distance between their bodies. Now, here she was, her body pressed against his as if this was a natural state for them. The smell of Indigo jasmine filled his nostrils. Leia was so soft, so warm that his stomach heated up in response. He marveled over how small she was and how she fit just right in his embrace. Her head reached just under his chin, and Han resisted the urge to rest his head upon hers. He controlled his respiration, but he couldn't control the ever-increasing beat of his heart. Could she hear it? With her ear against his chest, there was no doubt that she could.

 _I don't want you to leave._

Leia relaxed her hold on him, and Han held out his arms to release her. Without looking up at him, she crossed her arms over her chest and side-stepped him. Han found that he couldn't move. He turned his head over his shoulder and watched her walk away.

She didn't look back or stop. She just gave him a stern order: "Tell the walking carpet to stop following me!"

Han said nothing. He turned back to the direction where he was headed _(Where was he headed?)._ He touched his chest where her cheek had rested; still warm. Or was that his own heat he was feeling?

A hand on his back brought him out of the moment.

"Hey, Han. I was just headed to the _Falcon_ ," Luke said. "You up for a game of holochest?"

Han looked back; Leia was gone. How long had he been standing there?

"You okay?"

"Sure. Just...I'm not feelin' up for a game tonight. Chewie might be, though."

Luke's brow furrowed. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason."

"Oh! I got to tell you about the maneuver drills we did today. You wouldn't believe it!" Luke said as they walked towards the hangar.

Luke's voice was full of excitement, but Han couldn't follow his words. Instead, his mind was on Leia.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6:

Han Solo knelt on one knee as he made repairs on top of the _Millennium Falcon_. Dark goggles protected his eyes from the sparks and bright light of the arc welder. He leaned over his work, lifting his goggles every few minutes to check out his welding job. He grumbled to himself and shook his head. He was having a hard time concentrating.

Han shut off the welder, pushed back his goggles, and looked up at the control station. There in the window, Leia stood facing him. She rubbed her hand as she looked at him. She wasn't wearing the usual scowl she favored him with, but she wasn't smiling at him either. Han kept his eyes on her. Yesterday she had embraced him—a real true embrace—but today she acted as if it never happened. He had passed her in the mess hall when he went for his morning meal. Han had been entering the hall as Leia exited—in the company of Colonel Liston. She greeted him with a nod and a "captain." It wasn't a cold interaction, but he felt a distance between them that bothered Han. Maybe she behaved that way because she was with Colonel Liston. What did she see in that man?

Leia looked over her shoulder and walked away from the window. Someone must've called her over to another part of the control station. Han picked up the welder, but his hazel eyes remained on the window of the control station. He felt...he didn't know how he felt. Leia had him twisted up inside. Why did he let her get to him the way she did? Why was everything hot and cold with her? Why couldn't they have a relationship as easy as the one she had with Luke and Chewie?

Was that what he wanted from her? No. He wanted something more—and not just a casual one-or-two-or-more night stand. Han sat back on his haunches as the gravity of his desire hit him. When he first met her on the Death Star, her fiery energy and wit attracted him, but he didn't give it much more thought than that. However, over the last three years, he discovered more about her that went beyond his first attractions. He found himself attracted to her dedication to the Alliance (despite his belief that it was a losing cause), her kindness, her respect for the lowest ranking soldier, her ability to handle a fire arm and jump into the fray of battle, and her vulnerability (which he had the privilege to witness on occasion over the last three years). He cared about her—more than cared about her. Han ran his hand through his hair. Was it possible that he lo—

Sparks bounced against the window of the control station.

"Leia."

Han looked to the hatch leading into the _Falcon_. Then he looked over the edge of the ship. He was closer to the ledge than the hatch. How far was that drop? It couldn't be that far. It definitely looked doable, if he was careful…

Han grabbed the ledge of the _Falcon_ and started to lower himself down the side. When his arms were stretched to their capacity, he let go and fell to the ground.

"Ow!"

Solo cringed as he grabbed his left forearm. Definitely broken.

"Captain Solo! Are you okay?"

Han looked up at the rebel woman, Kelly, was it?

"Yeah. Fine."

"That was a nasty fall."

"I survived."

He started to push himself to his feet when Kelly stepped in to help him.

"I got it."

"Looks like you broke your arm. I'll get a medic."

"I'll go to the med bay." He started toward the control station. He turned backwards while still walking. "Uh, thanks."

"No problem."

Han had already turned away. The only thing that mattered to him was Leia. He came to the lift but decided to take the stairs since that way would be faster. He opened the door and started up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Solo increased his momentum by pulling on the rail with his good hand. It felt as if there were a hundred stairs, and Han found himself out of breath when he reached the top. Breathing heavily, he burst through the door of the control station.

Han rushed into the room to find a ruptured pipe spewing forth a forceful stream of steam. One man held a makeshift shield against the steam while another worked on turning the lever to shut off the steam. Han hurried over to help the man. It was difficult since he only had one good arm, but he and the man managed to shut down the pipe. Han and the man exchanged a smile as they caught their breaths.

However, the damage had been done. The hot moisture shorted out the control panels and shut down the power. On the ground couple of men and a woman moaned and held various parts of their bodies. One man lay unconscious while another two performed CPR on him.

Han's eyes roved over the injured and stopped on a pile of fur just out of range of spout of steam. Leia's arms were wound around Chewbacca's neck.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she muttered into Chewbacca's ears over and over.

Han maneuvered his way through the injured and those aiding the injured to reach his best friend.

"Chewie!"

The Wookie roared and rumbled, and Han noticed the burn on the back of his best friend's shoulder. Leia clung to Chewie still apologizing. Han wrapped his good arm around the princess's waist, disengaged her from Chewie, and pulled her to her feet. Her legs didn't seem capable of holding herself up so Han served as her strength.

Chewie gurrayed.

Han tipped Leia to the right to get a good look into her face.

"You okay, Leia?"

Her large brown eyes stayed on Chewbacca. She nodded. "Thanks to Chewie."

Leia found her footing, and Han released her. She crouched down next to the Wookie. "That burn is pretty bad." She stood up and looked around. "We need a medic over here!"

Chewie shook his head, waved his hand, and stood up.

"Chewie's right. There are others that are hurt worse. I'll take him to the medical bay."

Leia nodded. She looked into Chewbacca's blue eyes. "Thank you."

The princess then looked around the room and grabbed the arm of a passing medic.

"Where can I help?"

Han watched her jump into action. Chewie brayed and whimpered.

"You seemed fine when Leia was here."

Chewie grumbled before he whimpered again.

Come'n, you big baby."

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Han rolled up his sleeve and examined his injured arm. It was definitely going to take some bone knitters*. He hated bone knitters. He picked up the syringe and tried to angle it so that he could inject the bone knitters in the right place. He thought about asking Chewie for help, but the sedative and painkillers the Dr. Salimni gave him had knocked him out. The Wookie was snoring loudly from his quarters.

"Heard you fell off the _Falcon_."

Han looked up to find Leia standing across from him with one hand on her jutted-out hip.

"Here to see Chewie?"

"No."

Han's eyebrows rose.

Leia walked over to him and took the syringe from his hand. "If you don't do this just right, you'll heal wrong."

"Then do it for me."

"No."

"If you're not here to help me, then why are you here?"

"You were right."

"Of course." Han smugly smiled before he asked, "Right about what?"

"I think the accident in the control station wasn't another…" Leia looked down at the ground before looking up at him again. "Innocent people are getting hurt. Chewie got hurt."

"You almost got hurt."

She looked away. "We have to flush out this assassin. I've talked to Reikken. We came up with a plan."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you _after_ you go to the medical bay and get your arm fixed properly."

"You can do it."

Leia crossed her arms over her chest and raised her right eyebrow. Han rolled his eyes.

"Fine."

Solo got up and glanced at Leia. When he was certain she wasn't paying attention, he slipped the bone knitter syringe into his pocket. Then he followed Leia out of the _Falcon_. She stopped at the bottom of the ramp and watched him pass her by. He pursed his lips.

"You know you can be a real pain in the ass."

"I think you have that backwards."

Han continued on, holding his forearm as he walked. He felt a small presence behind him. When he reached the corridor that led to the medical bay, he stopped and turned around.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm just making sure you make it to the medical bay."

"Where else would I be goin'?"

"To Luke."

"Why would I do that?"

Leia reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the syringe. "Because you know he'll knit your bone back together if you ask him."

Han mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothin'."

"Then come on. We need to prepare for Reikken's plan."

"Yes, Your High-and-Mighty-Most-Worthy-of-Worship Worshipfulness."

"Shut up and keep walking."

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* bone-knitters is a term I borrowed from Chanel19


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7:

Han Solo slouched in his seat in the cockpit of the _Millennium Falcon_ with his feet propped up on Chewbacca's co-pilot's seat. One arm rested on the back of his seat and his other hand pulled at his bottom lip. He kept his eyes on the entrance of the hangar. Occasionally, his hazel eyes roamed over the crew and mechanics. It was the middle of the day, and the hangar was buzzing with activity; the perfect time to implement Princess Leia Organa's and General Carlist Reikken's plan. Reikken made sure that it was well-known that Leia was being sent to the base on Avolonia. But still, it made Han nervous. Leia, Chewie, and Luke should have arrived by now. What was holding them up? Han's chest tightened. The assassin could've made another attempt on Leia's life, maybe even been successful this time. Chewie would've commed him if anything happened—if Chewie wasn't killed protecting the princess.

Solo's eyes returned to the entrance of the hangar as he fingered his commlink. He was about to comm Chewbacca when he caught sight of Leia and Reikken approaching the _Falcon._ Leia was wearing the white dress she wore when Han first saw her on the Death Star.

 _Someone has to save our skins. Into the garbage chute, flyboy._

Han smiled at the memory. He expected to find a docile, spoiled princess dependent on him and Luke to be rescued. Instead he got this spite-fire girl who could handle a blaster like a seasoned soldier and had one hell of the mouth. Han was attracted to her from the moment she ordered him into the garbage chute. Now…now she was a woman- still mouthy and haughty—who had revealed other faucets of her personality to him over the last three years. He was not just attracted to her; he _cared_ about her. Maybe even loved—

Han brushed that thought aside. He had no time for love.

Leia's personal aide walked beside Luke behind Leia and Reikken. The personal aide was a dead-ringer for the princess. Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO followed. Han stood up and went to greet them on the ramp. He leaned against the hydraulic post with his hands hanging on his belt.

When she and her entourage reached the bottom of the ramp, Leia stopped. She looked up at Han and greeted him with a formal "Captain Solo."

"Your Worshipfulness."

The princess's expression darkened and her cheeks reddened. However, as she turned to General Reikken, her expression relaxed.

"Good-bye, General."

"You take care, Princess."

"I will."

"The Chancellor of Avolonia is looking forward to your arrival. If anyone can convince him to support our cause, it is you."

"Thank you, General."

"You'll be missed."

"As will you." Leia placed her hands on the general's shoulders and kissed his cheek.

Reikken bid farewell to the rest of the group and nodded to Han. Han returned his gesture. Then Han stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the princess ascend up the ramp with her entourage. She stopped in front of him. He smugly smiled. She rolled her eyes and pushed passed him. Han turned and followed her, cutting off her aide and Luke.

"You garnered enough attention, Your High-and-Mightiness," he growled into her ear.

"That was the point, Bantha Breath."

Han halted, letting Leia's aide and Luke pass him. Luke grimaced and shrugged. Chewie chuckled.

"Ah, shut up."

"Hello, Captain Solo," Threepio said.

Han grunted and turned away from the droids.

"That man has no manners. Come on, Artoo."

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"I hope this plan of yours works," Han said as he stared down at the large trunk.

"Of course it will," Leia said as she took the hand of her aide, Chrissa Stermer. "Come, I'll show you the crew's quarters. You can unpack and get settled," Leia looked at Han, "as much as you can on this piece of junk."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"This 'piece of junk' saved your ass more than a couple of times, Your High-and-Mightiness."

The two women disappeared down the corridor.

Chewbacca shared his opinion about Leia's and Reikken's plan.

"No surprise that you agree with her."

Luke said, "It's practically fool-proof."

Han raised an eyebrow. "Has any plan we've had been fool-proof?"

Luke's lips twisted to the right. "Well, it's the best plan we have."

"As long as people buy it."

Chewie grumbled.

"Chewbacca and Master Luke are right, Captain Solo," Threepio chimed in. "Miss Stermer's appearance is quite close to the princess's. As long as no one gets close enough to see her face—"

"That's exactly what I'm worried about."

Chewie garruffed and hawed.

"Yeah, yeah. She'll pass as a decoy. I just hope the assassin buys it—and doesn't get Chrissa killed."

The Wookie raawwooed.

"Being a former member of the special force team for the Imperials doesn't protect her from a sniper."

Chewie growled.

"Just hope the assassin takes the bait and you catch him." Han threw his hands up. "I hope whoever it is buys this ruse."

The princess and Stermer entered the cargo hold.

"So are we ready?" Leia asked.

Han looked down at the trunk again. He grunted and climbed inside, and Leia handed him an oxygen mask. He put it on and lay down on his side. Leia slipped her oxygen mask over her head and adjusted it on her face. She hugged Luke, climbed into the trunk, and lay on her side facing away from Han. She pulled her feet to her chest to fit in the small space left for her.

"Don't worry, Princess," Chrissa said. "We'll lure out the assassin and catch him."

"I know."

"Stay safe," Luke said.

"Don't worry," Han said. "With me around, what could possibly happen?"

Leia rolled his eyes. "Now I'm worried."

Chewie bid them a safe trip and closed the trunk. The lock clicked shut, and everything turned pitch black. Han couldn't even see Leia beside him. Then a small light chased the dark into the corners of the trunk.

"A hand-lantern. Good thinking,"

Solo noticed the cramped position in which Leia contorted her body. She seemed to make sure there was space between them.

"You can't be comfortable."

"I'm okay."

"We might be in here a while."

"How long could it take for them to move us from the _Falcon_ to the starship?"

"Dunno." Han paused for a moment. "You could rest your legs over mine—unless you are afraid that that much contact between us will make you lose control."

Leia rolled to her back, rested the hand-lantern on her stomach, and put her legs over his.

"Better?"

She nodded.

"Just make sure you control yourself."

"You're the one who needs to worry about that."

A silence fell between them. Han's heart beat against his chest, and he started to lose control of his respiration. He looked at Leia who seemed completely unaffected by their predicament. How could she be so calm? Han hoped Leia couldn't hear his heart as he fought to slow his breath.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"You're claustrophobic? Or is it being so close to me is turning you on?"

"You're turning me on."

Leia turned her head to look at Han. Her cheeks were red. Han waggled his eyebrows.

"You're claustrophobic."

"No, I just don't like small places."

"That's the definition of claustrophobia."

"I didn't say I was _afraid."_

"Of course, you're not."

She turned her head away from him. Then Leia reached over and took his hand in hers. She rested their clasped hands upon her stomach. With his mouth slightly open, Han stared at her profile before turning his eyes to their hands. Her palm pressed against the back of his hand and her fingers curled between his. The warmth of her skin penetrated his skin and spread through his body, settling inside his stomach. He hoped she didn't notice how clammy his palm was. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. Han closed his eyes as he concentrated on the rise and fall of her abdomen. Her respiration was even, calm. He allowed his breathing to fall in rhythm with her.

"This isn't my first time stuck inside a trunk."

"Serious?"

"When I was four or five, my father was going to a conference on Corellia. Darth Vader was going to be there." Leia shuddered. "Back then, he didn't scare me; I found him fascinating. I had caught glimpses of Vader when he came to the palace, but my father always chased me to my room anytime Vader came."

"You must have been a brave kid."

"No, just curious," she said. "Anyhow, I pushed an empty trunk next to my father's luggage and hid myself in it. I figured that if I was already there, there was nothing he could do about it."

"You got away with it?"

"Hardly," Leia chuckled, jostling their hands. "I fell asleep. The security team must've scanned the trunk because I woke up to find them pointing blasters at me."

Han chuckled. "So did you get to see Darth Vader?"

"No. My father was angry; I've never seen him angrier." She shook her head and chuckled again. "He sent me home _after_ he gave me the worst spanking he ever gave me. I never did that again."

"So, princesses can be spanked."

Leia's cheeks reddened. She turned her head and narrowed her eyes on him. "Don't you get any ideas, Captain. You'll end up greatly regretting."

Han laughed. "I bet you were a handful when you were a little girl."

"I got into my fair share of trouble. And you?"

"I was a perfect angel."

Leia laughed, her stomach bounced up and down, and Han couldn't help but he joined in merriment.

"I can only imagine the trouble you got into."

Han sobered. "It was a matter of survival. After my parents died…" He couldn't continue.

"How old were you?"

His eyes fell upon the light-lantern. "I dunno. Young. I ended up on the streets. I had to steal and commit other crimes to survive."

"You didn't have any other family?"

"You're afraid of the dark," he said.

"You're trying to change the subject." When Han said nothing, Leia sighed. " _Why_ do you think I'm afraid of the dark?"

"The way you're holdin' that hand-lantern. Your knuckles are white."

"They are not."

"So you're afraid of needles and the dark—"

"I am not."

"Admit it, you are."

Her brow lowered. "I just don't like the dark."

"There are no monsters in here. There's just me."

"You're not a monster." Leia's voice softened to the point it her words were barely audible through her oxygen mask.

The trunk tipped and bounced, and the ground disappeared beneath it.

"Looks like their taking us to the starship."

"It's about time," Leia said.

The both stared up at the roof of the trunk as if they could see what was happening outside.

"Ow." Leia balanced the light on her chest and put her hand behind her head.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

The hand-lantern fell off her chest and went out. She removed her hand from her head and scrambled to retrieve it. Han removed his arm from beneath his head and stretched it out. She picked up the light, turned it back on, and rested her head upon his arm.

"You sleep with a light on."

Leia said nothing.

"I thought you used that nightlight for reading in bed."

"I do."

"But you leave it on while you sleep, I bet."

"I fall asleep reading and forget to turn it off."

"Bad dreams?"

Leia lowered her large brown eyes, stared at the hand-lantern, and said nothing.

"Everyone gets them. Even me," Han said in a voice that was gentle and soft. He waited for her to say something, but she didn't. "You don't sleep with the light on when you're on the _Falcon_. Why?"

Leia released his hand, pulled her legs up to her chest, and rolled to her side.

"I'm…I feel safe on the _Falcon_ ," she said.

"So you don't really think my ship is a hunk of junk."

"I never said that."

"You said you feel safe on it."

"Not because I think it won't fall apart at any moment."

Someone dropped the trunk onto the ground, and Han's head bounced against the floor of the trunk.

"Ow."

"You okay?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want your arm back?" Leia lifted her head.

"No, I like it where it is."

She put her head back down, and they said no more to each other. Han gazed at the back of her head, noticing that her usually straight hair was pinned in curls. This style was certainly new. If he touched it, maybe she wouldn't notice; her curls were so thick. He started to raise his free hand when there was a knock on the top of the trunk.

"Finally!"

Leia lifted her head and chest and reached out to the inside lock. She entered the code.

"Damn."

"What?"

"A key is stuck."

"Just great."

The princess shifted so that she lay on her back and rested her legs over Han once again.

"What? Do you plan on spending the rest of your life trapped in this trunk with me?"

"Definitely not!"

Han felt a little hurt at her quick answer, though he shouldn't be. Inside this trunk was the last place he wanted to be stuck. His respiration quickened as he remembered where they were, and he searched for his commlink on his belt. He wasn't wearing it; he had removed his holster so that his blaster wouldn't dig into his body.

"We can't even contact Chewie!"

Leia started to pull up the hem of her dress. "Chewie can't come and help us. It'll be suspicious, and it might blow our cover."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Leia said nothing. She continued to hike up her skirt; the hem rested several of inches above her knee.

"What? You givin' me a show to calm me down?"

Leia grabbed his chin under his mask and lifted his head. "Watch those eyes of yours."

She reached under her skirt and wiggled while she held Han's hazel eyes with her large brown ones.

"Do you have to do that?"

"Shut up."

Leia then pulled a knife from a hidden sheath beneath her dress.

"What else do you got under there?"

She narrowed her eyes on him. "You'll never find out. Here." She shoved the hand-lantern at Han. "Hold this."

Han took the lantern and held it up so that it illuminated the lock. Leia wedged the tip of the knife under the stuck key. She twisted and lifted the knife in the crevice, but the key wouldn't budge. She then dunked down her head, pulled her upper body off of the floor of the trunk, and used both hands to dig under the stuck key.

Both Han and Leia watched the key pop off and hit the opposite side of the trunk.

"Just great, Your Worshipfulness, now were stuck in here."

"If our ship doesn't leave, Reikken will come and check on us."

"And how long will that be?"

Leia bit her lower lip and studied the lock. "Maybe it can be hotwired."

She slipped the knife between the lock and trunk. She wiggled the knife and pushed it deeper into the crevice.

"When did you learn to hotwire things?"

"I would steal speeder bikes after my father forbade me from riding them."

"You were a trouble maker. What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

I never saw you as someone who wasn't driven by regulations."

"I learned to behave."

"That's not going to work."

"It will."

Then the princess smiled triumphantly inside her mask when the cover of the lock broke off and flew into the air.

"Ow!" Han grabbed the spot on his head where the cover hit him.

"I'd tell you I'm sorry, but you deserved that."

"For what?"

"For your negative attitude and inappropriate comments."

"I have nothin' but a positive attitude and polite comments."

"Have you been in the same trunk as me?" She pulled some wires out of the exposed insides of the lock and began to put them together. Nothing happened. She tried another combination of wires.

He watched her work. "You're not so good at this."

"I'm out of practice. Will you shut up? I'm trying to concentrate."

"Lemme do it."

"I can do it."

"So stubborn. Why don'tcha let me do it? I'm must faster."

She took the hand-lantern from Han and lay back down so he could reach the lock. Han rolled part of his body on top of her.

He waggled his eyebrows. "Try to control yourself, Your Most Holiness."

Leia pulled a face. "That will be easy."

 _I'm not so sure that will be easy for me,_ Han thought. His chest pressed against part of her breasts and abdomen. He marveled at how she was both soft and muscular at the same time. He inhaled and exhaled as he tried to push her out of his mind. He had a job to do. Han reached the lock with his right hand, but because of his awkward position he couldn't stretch his left hand far enough to touch it.

"You're not going to hurt me."

"So you've had heavier men lay on top of you."

Leia punched him in his side. Han gave her a leering smile and started to lower more of his weight to lean on her.

"Ow!" Han's head slammed against the top of the trunk.

"I'm not going to break. Do what you have to do."

"I could be lying right on top of you and I still wouldn't be able to reach the lock."

"Okay. Change places with me."

"There's no room."

"So negative. Do you want to stay stuck in here?"

Han pulled a face. "Being stuck in here with you is torture."

"My feelings exactly. Lift your body as high as you can."

Han pressed his hand next to her head and lifted himself off of the ground. Leia wiggled her body underneath his. Han lifted his body higher.

"Ow!" His head it the top of the trunk again.

"Don't worry. Your head's too hard to be damaged."

When she reached the other side, she lay on her side—her legs spooning his—so that Han had all the space he needed.

"Don't screw this up."

"I never screw up."

"Do you want me to list all the things you screwed up?"

"Shut up. I need to concentrate."

To his surprise, Leia didn't say a word. She must want out of this trunk as much as he did. He wanted out, didn't he? For part, they were getting along, and he found that he liked it better than when they fight-though it was always fun to get a rise out of her. However, the way she held his hand when he exposed his fear of small spaces, how she distracted him with stories from her childhood…her compassion touched him. Han knew she was a very compassionate person from the way she comforted the wounded and took on missions to aid the refugees that were affected by the war. But she rarely showed compassion to him. To be fair, he rarely showed compassion t her. He wasn't the most compassionate person in the galaxy, but he had kept a distance from her in fear that he would care too much. _Too late._ Maybe she feared caring too much for him; after all, he was always threatening to leave. Maybe she already cared too much for him. Maybe that was what lay behind their arguments and sniping. Maybe she didn't want to get out of this trunk as much as he did.

"Will hurry up?"

Well, maybe not.

Han ceased his musings and began to work faster.

With a hiss and a click, the lock popped open. Han removed his mask as he pushed against the top of the trunk. The top dropped against the back side with a thump, causing the trunk to jump. Leia sat up, took off her mask, and breathed in the fresh air. Han watched Leia return the knife to its sheath underneath the skirt of her dress. She elbowed Han in the chest.

"Ow!" He rubbed the spot where she hit him.

Leia pulled her skirt into place. "Erase that leering look or you'll get more."

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She planted her feet on the bottom of the trunk, stood up, stretched her arms up, and arched her back. Han stood up and watched Leia stretch. She stepped out of the trunk and turned around. Han quickly looked away as he stepped out of the trunk and did some stretching of his own.

"Never again," he said.

"I agree."

Han picked up his belt and holster that Luke had left in the starship and slipped it around his hips.

"I'm gonna start up the engines and get clearance for take-off."

"I'll go change."

Leia picked up her bag and headed to the refresher. Han stepped into the cockpit. The ship had an open plan, meaning there was no wall separating the cockpit from the lounge. The ship needed only one pilot, and that seat was the only one to fit in the nose. Still the cockpit was roomy than the _Falcon's_.

Han sat down, looked out the windshield, and watched the _Millennium Falcon_ exit the hangar. He'd rather be piloting the _Falcon_ for this mission, but the only way for Leia and Reikken's plan to work required him to take the starship. He could've been the one to lure the assassin out and had Luke go with Leia. However, Leia's safety was his top priority; who knew what trouble she'd get herself into on Ord Mantel? He wasn't sure Luke would be cut out for the job.

Leia insisted that they had a reason for leaving Home One—that reason being buying weapons from an arms dealer—while they were hiding out. Even when her life was in danger, she put the Rebellion before her safety. Han would've much rather hid out somewhere other than Ord Mantel, have a vacation from the Rebellion. Han imagined Leia and him on the soft-sand beaches of Selmia where they could enjoy frothy cocktails while watching the waves crashing on the shore.

Could she put anything (or anyone) before the Rebellion?

Han pushed that thought out of his mind. He flipped a switch and radioed the almost-reconstructed control station. He held a voice-changing box to his mouth in order to disguise himself.

"Control station, this is starship V-2834. Permission to take off."

"Permission granted."

Han pushed the intercom button. "Strap yourself in, Your Worship. We're taking off."

He moved the starship into position and pulled a lever. The starship soared into space.

"We cleared the hangar. Get ready for light speed."

Han pulled back on the controls, and the starship sped pass the stars, painting the cockpit blue. Once the ship settled into light speed, he heard Leia enter the cockpit.

Han started to swivel his chair toward her. "We should reach Ord Mantel in four—"

His mouth dropped open as his eyes fell on the princess. She wore boots that stretched over her calves, skin tight blue pants, and a black holster that hung low on her hips. Her gray shirt hugged every curve of her body—even some curves Han hadn't noticed before. The three-quarter-sleeved shirt had three buttons; they were not fastened, and hint of her cleavage peeked out. Her hair hung in wild spiral curls that fell over her shoulder. She had one side pulled back with a clip that held her hair out of her face. Her lips were shade of gholcon berries, and her large brown eyes were shadowed in a way that made them pop.

Leia jutted out her hip and placed her hand on it. "What?"

Han draped his arm over the back of the pilot's seat and leaned back. "It'll take four hours to reach Ord Mantel."

Leia plopped down in a seat diagonal to Han's. "Good."

The princess stared out of the windshield and watched the stars go by. Han stared at her, enjoying the way the blue light played upon her face. Then he exhaled and swiveled his chair so that he couldn't see her. This mission may be more difficult than he thought.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

Han Solo slipped the key card into the lock of their hotel room and the door swooshed opened. Princess Leia Organa entered first. She dropped her bags on the floor in front of the doorway, rushed over to one of the beds, and jumped on it.

"A real bed!"

Han's face broke into a lop-sided grin as he watched Leia delight in the small luxury—well, maybe not so small of a luxury considering their war-torn world. She lay on her stomach and slid her hands against the white sheets, gathered the comforter between her arms, and pressed her cheek against it.

"Real, fresh sheets, nani-down comforter!"

Leia rolled onto her back and spread out her arms and legs, imitating a starfish. "I'm in heaven."

Han laughed. He picked up her bag and tossed it onto the other bed by the window.

"Thanks for messing up my bed."

Leia pivoted onto her side and propped her head up on her hand. With one leg crossed over the other, her position accentuated the curve of her hips. Han tried hard to look away, but it was a losing battle. However, Leia didn't seem to notice or be bothered by the desire in his eyes.

"Your bed?"

"It's closest to the door."

"So?"

"I think it's best that I be closest to the door."

Leia's right eyebrow arched. "You think _you're my_ protector?"

"I've been your protector since someone's been tryin' to kill you," Han said. "Longer than that. Since the Death Star."

"In case you haven't noticed, Captain, I don't need your protection."

"In case you haven't noticed, Sweetheart, I've saved your ass more times than I remember."

"In case _you_ have forgotten, Flyboy, I've saved _your_ ass twice as many times."

"Ha! Believe what you want; that's _my_ bed."

"What if an intruder comes through the window instead of the door?" Leia upped the pitch of her voice and folded both hands under her chin. "Who's going to save me then?"

Han dropped his bag at the foot of the bed Leia lay upon.

"We're on the twenty-fifth floor."

Solo then walked over to Leia, put his hands on his hips, and looked down on her. She rolled onto her back.

"You never know. Criminals are creative."

"I know."

He winked at her as he slipped his arms underneath her shoulders and knees.

"What do you think you're doing!"

Han lifted Leia into his arms and unceremoniously tossed her onto the other bed.

" _This_ is my bed."

"Oh!"

Leia scowled at him, but Han ignored her. She hopped off the bed, grabbed her bag, and put it on top of the dresser with the intent to unpack her clothes.

"We don't have time for that. We're meeting our contact in a couple of hours."

"We have three hours."

"I'm hungry."

"Just because _you_ _think_ you're my protector, that doesn't mean you make the rules."

"I believe it does."

"If you think I'm going to—"

Han lowered his chin and raised an eyebrow. "Are you hungry?"

Leia pursed her lips as her eyes pulled up to the left. She frowned and said, "I think we should get something to eat before the meeting."

Han rolled his eyes. "Yes, Your High-and-Mighty-Holiness."

The princess pulled a face as she rolled off the bed and grabbed her bag.

"I hope you're not wearing that," she said as she entered the refresher.

Han looked at himself. "I always wear this."

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Han Solo kept stealing glances of Princess Leia as he escorted her down the street. She wore a blue dress made of the softest material Han had ever felt that was belted at her waist and hung several inches above her knees. The neckline of the dress grazed the top of her shoulders, and a jeweled chain created a keyhole. A sapphire gem surrounded by tiny diamonds clasped the two sides together, and a row of diamonds fell between her breasts. Solo was glad that Leia was substantially shorter than him.

"What?"

Han pulled his eyes from her breasts and shrugged. "Nothing.

He fought to keep his eyes focused on the path in front of them, but it was a battle he couldn't win.

"What?"

"Uh…I was just wondering if those," Han pointed to the jewels on her chest, "were real."

"What do you think?"

"If they are, that's a dangerous dress to be wearing."

"They're not. You can stop staring at them now—and I don't mean the faux gems."

"Then you shouldn't have put 'em on display."

"Oh! I wanted to blend in."

"Sweetheart, you could never blend in."

Leia looked up at him; he couldn't tell if she was angry or flattered. Maybe flattered, but her inability to take a complement about her appearance—especially from him—flustered her. Han waggled his eyebrows at her. She expelled a burst of air from her nose and looked away. Han looked the other way to hide his smile. He loved when he made her cheeks pink.

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After dinner, and without thinking, Han took Leia's hand as they stepped into the dive bar where they were to meet their contact. He cursed himself and waited for her to rip her hand out of his and snap at him for being so presumptuous. However, Leia didn't pull her hand away. Her tiny fingers wrapped around his. He stole a glance of their hands and of her. She kept her large brown eyes focused on the shops and kaffes that they passed. This was a breakthrough.

Breakthrough? Is that what Han wanted? He wished their friendship could be more relaxed and easy like her friendship with Luke; she often grabbed Luke's hand on her own. However, there was more-than-friends happening between them. It gripped his lungs, made it difficult to breathe; he did his best to not dwell on something that could never happen, something he was afraid would happen. He had to pay off Jabba the Hutt and wouldn't be around much longer. Could he do that to her, start something and then leave?

Or maybe he didn't have to leave. Jabba would never believe that Han was hiding out with the Rebel Alliance; Han was a loner, not a joiner, and he didn't work for free (though he had been with the Alliance for three years and did on more than several occasions work for free; did that make him a member?). Since he'd been working for the rebels, he hadn't run into any bounty hunters—they, too, would never look for Han amongst the rebels. It was a great hiding place, and it did have its perks.

One of those perks was Princess Leia Organa. Han knew he should have kept a distance from her the moment he laid eyes upon her in the detention center on the Death Star, but something more than attraction pulled him too her. Maybe it was the way she insulted Chewie or how she handled a blaster. Maybe it was the way she blushed because of something he said, or her courage to fight for what she believed. Or that she believed in something at all. Han sometimes wished he believed in something as strong as she did. Maybe he wouldn't feel so lost.

Over the past year (okay, maybe two or the whole time), Han found himself in her orbit. Some of this phenomenon was his own doing, but Leia managed to find excuses to be in his orbit as well. They were a planet and a moon, she being the planet, and the gravitational pull between them had become more like breathing; it was as if they needed each other—and not just for rebel business on her part and for contractual work for his part. They both were world-weary and seemed to understand each other in a way no one else did. Leia brought him comfort without making him feel weak in his moments of weakness. Han thought of when she held his hand in the trunk. By the way they sniped at each other, she could have easily ridiculed him. He had come to need her in his life. Did she need him?

Han looked across the street. He couldn't need her. All he needed was Chewie, the _Falcon,_ and open space. Leia needed her commitment to the Rebel Alliance and to establish a democratic government after the Empire was overthrown. Freedom and responsibilities didn't mix.

Still, Han couldn't keep his mind off of her even when she wasn't around. He spent hours thinking about Leia, replaying their interactions in his head, how he'd rile her up, how her large brown eyes twinkled during those rare times she smiled, how her cheeks flushed pink when he teased her. He glanced down at their hands again.

Maybe Leia was warming up to him. In the moment, with the heat of her hand passing through his, Han believed that she harbored more feelings for him than she wanted to admit. Perhaps she held his hand because she more than liked him—or she felt uncomfortable in this setting that was far from fit for a princess. Han thought otherwise. Leia had met contacts in scummier places. Besides, he'd rather believe that she liked holding his hand.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"Standing here in the doorway is attracting attention, flyboy."

"I was… just looking for the best place to sit."

Leia pulled Han's hand and led him deeper into the bar. While his head stayed pointed toward Leia who walked in front of him, Han's hazel eyes roamed around the room. The bar was populated by various aliens and humanoids alike: smugglers, thieves, and con-artists. And lesser-known bounty hunters. Maybe it was good that Han had changed into a black shirt and pants and wasn't donning his usual outfit.

However, they weren't going unnoticed. Tiny droplets of perspiration built up when he observed that all eyes were on them. No, he had to amend that; all eyes were on Leia. Han's eyes fell upon Leia. She held her chin high, but he was certain it wasn't her proper posture that was catching everyone's attention; it was the way her skirt swished side-to-side as she walked. Had she always walked with a sway to her steps? Her cadence seemed too natural to be an act. Maybe Han was only noticing this for the first time because the rhythm of her backside was accentuated by short flowing skirt of her dress. The attention she was amassing was dangerous. He was about to tug on her hand, but then realized that that attention kept their eyes off of him. Things would turn bad if Han was recognized by the small-time bounty hunters in the bar.

Leia let go of Han's hand as she slid into a booth closest to the back exit. Han slid in next to her. Leia pressed the menu screen and mulled through the drinks. She ordered a Bacovian whiskey for both of them.

"Since when do you drink whiskey?"

"Since today."

"Are ya' sure you can handle it?"

She raised her right eyebrow. "I can handle anything you can handle."

"Ha!"

"You know I'm right."

"I know nothing of the sort," Han said though he believed she could handle more than he could.

An attendant droid brought their drinks to their table, and Leia sipped her drink as her large brown eyes scanned the room. They stopped at the beings sitting at the bar.

"There's our contact."

"You stay here. Lemme take care of this." Han placed his drink on the table.

"Of course."

Leia swiped her arm across the table as she stood up. Han's drink clattered into his lap. "Oops."

"What the hell?"

But the princess didn't hear him. She had cleared their booth and was walking over to the bar.


	9. Chapter 9

SORRY I FORGOT TO POST THIS CHAPTER AND INSTEAD POSTED CHAPTER 10. HERE IS THE REAL CHAPTER 9

Chapter 9:

Han Solo cursed as the whiskey and ice fell onto his lap. He brushed the ice and liquid off of himself. The cold alcohol tingled and burned as it seeped through his pants, and he stood up as much as he could behind the table of the booth. He looked up at Princess Leia Organa. She was talking with a service droid and pointing at Han. The service droid rolled toward Han's table, and she continued on.

"Back off or you'll find yourself in pieces, droid," Han growled as the service droid attempted to clean off the whiskey on Han's lap with its suction arm.

The droid ignored him. Solo grabbed the droid's arm and shoved it away. The droid twittered and beeped as it backed away and used its suction arm to suck up the whiskey from the table. As that extended appendage did its job, it collected the glass under the table, tangling itself in Han's feet. Han kicked at the droid. Another string of electric curses assaulted Han before the droid then left the booth.

Solo spotted their contact sitting a stool away from the corner of the bar. The lanky woman was hunched over her drink, her eyes focused on the contents in his glass; Han knew this was a ruse. Their contact was taking stock of the patrons of the bar. Her arm rested on the bar, and she cupped her glass as if she were guarding it with her life. Han bit the inside of his cheek. A rifle strapped to the woman's back wasn't the only weapon she carried. Han surmised from her carefully careless posture that she carried concealed weapons on various places on her body. He rolled his lips; Leia carried no blaster, and Han hoped she had her knife strapped to her thigh under her dress.

Not that a knife could outwit a blaster.

Solo sat back down in the booth and watched the exchange between the princess and the woman. Leia leaned against the bar; her elbow rested upon the bar, and her hand held her chin. The way she reclined against the ledge of the bar emphasized her breasts and brought too much attention to her. Han looked around. Attracting attention to herself and her contact threatened their mission and could scare their contact away. Was Leia aware of her appeal to the other customers? She must have; her large brown eyes scanned the room every so often, but she never appeared to take her attention off of their contact.

The woman bought a drink for Leia and one for herself, two shots of Midori tequila. The princess straightened her posture. She then lifted the glass to her lips, through back her head, and slammed the shot glass upside down on the bar. Han could see their contact's smile from her profile. Their contact mimicked Leia's actions.

Their conversation continued; and the smiles exchanged by the two women faded. Their contact turned away from the princess and ordered another round of drinks. Leia ran her finger along her small glass as she listened to the woman; she nodded and frowned. From Han's point-of-view, things didn't look like they were going well. They couldn't fail this mission; despite the reason he and Leia were on Ord Mantel—hiding out as Chewie and Luke hunted Leia's would-be assassin—the weapons Han and Leia were meant to procure were needed by the Alliance and important to Leia.

It was time for Han to use his good-looking charm to close the deal. Certainly, he would have more luck with their female contact than Leia. A little flattery here, some flirting there, the woman would be putty in his hands.

Solo strolled over to the bar and took a seat on the other side of their contact. Leia's eyes widened and retracted and her mouth was set in a straight line. Their contact turned her yellow-outlined blue eyes to Han.

"Hey, good-looking," Han said. "Care for another drink?"

"I already have a drink," their contact said.

"Scram, flyboy," Leia said. "We're having a private conversation here."

"I'm certain I'll…enhance your conversation."

The princess rolled her eyes as Han winked at their contact.

"He's with you," their contact said.

"Unfortunately. Fardera, Han. Han, Fardera."

"Han Solo." Fardera smiled. "Rumor has it that Jabba has placed a hefty bounty on you."

He shifted in his seat. "Yeah, well you can't always believe the rumors."

"You're lucky I'm not a bounty hunter."

"That I am." He leaned in. "I understand you desire to make a contribution to my friends."

"So the famous Han Solo believes in a cause. I hear that is not your style."

Han felt Leia's eyes on him. He showed no reaction to Fardera's words.

"It's steady work. I can't complain."

"I'm sure it is," Fardera said. "That's why I'm here."

"So the deal is closed?"

"Not quite."

The princess downed her drink, tilted her head, and formed her lips into a promising smile. "Would you rather dance with Han? Or me."

Fardera's own lips stretched into a mischievous smile and her blue eyebrow rose as she gazed into Han's eyes.

Han grinned and started to hold out his hand.

Fardera smiled at the princess before turning her attention to Han. With the grace of a chiconi monkey, the woman slinked off of her stool, sliding her body against Han's. Han granted Leia a lopsided grin. However, that smug grin faded when Fardera, held her hand out to the princess. Leia smirked at Han as she allowed Fardera to take her hand and lead her to the dance floor.

Solo ordered another drink, this time a shot of Coruscant vodka and a Corellian ale. He downed the vodka and swiveled on his stool to watch Leia and Fardera dance as he nursed his Corellian ale. Fardera had her hands on Leia's waist, and Leia rested her hands on her partner's shoulders. Han grumbled into his ale as he watched them sway to the music. It was a moderately slow song, one that those who chose to dance could either dance close to each other or keep a distance. Han didn't like that Leia and Fardera chose to dance close, but how else could they communicate with each other?

As they rocked back and forth in a circular pattern, Han watched Leia's expression. Sometimes her expression was all business, while other times her face was lit up with a smile. The former smuggler took another gulp of his ale as Leia leaned close to Fardera's ear. Han's face screwed up, and his stomach pinched with, what was it...jealousy?

That was ridiculous. Leia was out there negotiating a deal with their contact, a deal that meant a lot to the Alliance. He couldn't be jealous of Fardera as she danced with the princess. Definitely a ridiculous emotion. No, Han was angry that Leia was the one dealing with the contact when Reikken made it clear that Han should do the negotiating. Their contact, Fardera, was dangerous, a notorious criminal and mercenary. If she figured out who Leia was…

Han finished his ale in one gulp and moved to stand near the dance floor. He leaned against the bar with his fingers looped through his belt. Although it felt like a lifetime to Han, Leia finished up the negotiations in record time. When the song ended, Fardera held out Leia's hand as she gave the princess a slight bow. At first, Han worried that Fardera figured out who Leia really was but noticed other dancers ended their dance that way. Leia stood with her back to Han as she watched their contact walk away.

Han saw an opportunity: he stepped behind the princess, grabbed her hand, and whirled her into his arms. Leia's eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed pink. Han couldn't help but smile. Still holding her hand, he pulled her close to him, leaving no space between them. He held her hand against his chest and wrapped his arm around her hips. To his surprised, Leia didn't try to distance herself from him. Instead, she wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

"You close the deal?"

"Do you doubt my negotiation skills?"

He leaned down to speak into her ear. "Not in the least. But you shoulda let me take care of it."

"You would've ended up making her finder's fee go up."

"You doubt my charms?"

Leia smiled up at him. "When it comes to negotiations, I out charm you."

Han raised an eyebrow. "If she were a fan of males, I doubt you would've been successful."

"She's more interested in men than women. She just didn't want to dance with you."

Han grimaced. "She doesn't know what she missed."

"You're right," Leia raised an eyebrow. "You're a much better dancer than you look."

Han's lop-sided grin spread across his face. "You like my dancing?"

"You're not bad."

"No bad?"

Leia looked away. "Maybe better than not bad."

He whirled her around and delighted in her smile. "So how'd negotiations go?"

She lifted her heels off of the floor to reach his ear. "The shipment will be delivered three days from now under the guise of medical supplies."

"Fardera is a greedy mercenary, and Gorobian is ruthless. How much higher did the price go up?"

"Actually, I got her to lower her finder's fee, and got her boss to lower the price."

"What?"

Han pulled back to look into Leia's face. She wore a smug smile before pulling him close and resting her head on his chest.

"How was she able to do that?"

"Goroborian is here. They had a code."

"So how'd you get them to lower the price?"

"I explained to them how much the Alliance needed their weapons, and of course, they have no love for the Empire who interferes with their business. The Imperials are bleeding them dry." She shrugged. "Turns out that they believe in our cause."

" _Your_ cause. I'm just here for the ride."

Leia looked up at him. "So you say."

"One day I'm going to have to go and pay Jabba off."

Leia put a small distance between them and stared at his chest. "I know."

Han grimaced. He just _had_ to open his big mouth. He whirled her around again, but she didn't seem to take as much pleasure in his move as before. He pulled her back into his embrace when a thick finger tapped his arm.

"May I cut in."

Still holding Leia's hand and hips, Solo pulled back to take in the owner of that finger. A large man, belly extended and arms the size of Han's thighs, stood next to him. His two friends, an Imgis and a Harisco, leaned against the bar as they watched the man cut into Han and Leia's dance.

"Sorry. We're enjoying ourselves."

"I wasn't asking."

Han saw the fear in Leia's eyes. "She's with me."

"Not for long."

"Thank you, but I'm not interested in dancing anymore. I think I need a rest."

Still holding Han's hand, she started to toward the edge of the dance floor. The large man punched Han in the stomach, and he doubled over, clutched his abdomen, and fell to the floor. The man grabbed Leia's free hand. Han could hear the man's friends laugh. Han fought to catch his breath as he watched the mad drag Leia away. Leia dug in her heels as the man pulled her. Han tried to rise from the floor but still couldn't catch his breath.

The princess looked down at Han, and then agreed to dance with the man. The intruder held her tight to his body, his hands pulling her hips close to his. Leia pressed her hands and forearms against his chest in an attempt to keep her distance. Han's hazel eyes narrowed on the pair as he managed to sit up. The dancers around him avoided Han, Leia, and the man. Obviously, no one was going to step in and help.

Leia smiled at the man, the smile Han recognized as her political game face. Before the man knew what happened, Leia slammed her foot into his, lifted her leg, and shoved her knee into his crotch. The man released her and grabbed his delicate parts, giving Leia the chance to knee him in the chin and blind him with her fingers. The mouth of the large man's friends dropped as they watched their friend fall to the ground, moaning in pain.

Wasting no time, Leia grabbed Han's hand and pulled him to his feet. She looked around the bar; they had caught the attention of all the dancers and nearby patrons of the bar.

"This way!"

Han pulled her toward the back of the bar, but there was no back door.

"Just great!"

"Now what?"

"Do I have to think of everything?"

"Since I took care of—"

"Come'n."

Han dragged Leia into the men's bathroom and locked the door.

"Oh, he won't find us in here."

"They. He had a couple of friends."

Solo rushed to the window.

"Step back and cover your face."

Solo removed his jacket, wrapped it around his arm, and slammed his elbow into the glass of the window. It shattered. He used his jacket to clear out the remaining glass before draping it over the edge of the window ledge.

He held out his hand to Leia. "Come'n."

Leia took his hand, and she rushed to the window. She bit her lip and her eyebrows peeked.

"I don't think you're going to fit."

"Don't worry about me."

Han grabbed her hips and effortlessly lifted her off of the ground. Leia grabbed the edge of the window and pulled herself into it. She hunched down as she drew her legs into the small opening. She dropped her legs out of the window, and Han took her hands, lowering her out of the window until she was close enough to the ground to jump.

"What about you?"

Han stared up at the window. It would be a tight fit, but if he could drop out of it head first, it just might work.

"I'm comin'."

He reached up and grabbed the edge of the window. His arm muscles strained as he pulled himself into the window. He wiggled his shoulders through the tiny opening until he managed to free them. Bracing himself by pressing his hands to the wall, he pulled his waist through. Next came his hips.

"Put your arms around my neck."

"You can't possibly—"

"Just do it, flyboy."

Han wrapped his arms around Leia's neck, and she pulled him out of the window. She stumbled under his weight and ended up on her backside with Han falling between her legs.

"Sweetheart, you're full of surprises."

She smirked. "I know."

Han sat back. "I'm sure they figured out our plan."

He put his hands under Leia's arms and picked her up as he climbed to his feet. Once she was settled on her feet. They looked both ways down the alley. Just as Han expected, the muscular man with his friends were rushing towards them. Han grabbed Leia's hand and ran in the opposite direction. He feared Leia's short legs would hold them back, but she managed to keep up with him.

They turned down various alleys and rushed through the back doors of some businesses only to make their way to the front door. On any other planet, their actions would be suspicious, and the authorities would've been called. However, this was Ord Mantel, and the situation Han and Leia found themselves in was quite normal.

Leia looked over her shoulder. "I can't see them."

"Doesn't mean they stopped chasing us."

Han turned down another alley and they rushed right into a wall.

"What now?"

His brow lowered. "I have to think of a plan, _again_?"


	10. Chapter 10

IF YOU HAVEN'T REREAD CHAPTER 9, PLEASE DO. I POSTED THE WRONG CHAPTER 9. PLEASE READ THAT CHAPTER BEFORE THIS

CHAPTER 10:

Han Solo and Princess Leia grimly stared at the permacrete wall in front of them. Leia looked back to see if their predators had caught up to them. No one was in sight. The alley they ran down was thin, easily missed, but if that man and his friends saw them turn into it, they were trapped.

The princess huffed. "Looks like your famous Han-Solo luck finally ran out."

"Maybe not. Look."

Leia's eyes followed to where Han was pointed, and she broke out into a cautiously-relieved smile. About twelve feet above her head was a fire-escape ladder that led to the roof. An odd place for a fire-escape ladder to be, for there were now windows on building and it led up to the roof; maybe it wasn't a fire escape at all. Leia wasn't going to waste time worrying about that now.

"Not bad."

Solo jumped to reach the ladder to pull it down but didn't jump high enough. He tried again.

"You're never going to reach it."

"Your pessimism isn't helping.

Leia rolled her eyes and moved to stand in front of him. "Let me."

Han pulled a face, squatted, and cupped his hands. Leia put her hands on his shoulders and slipped her foot into the pocket he created.

"Okay, on three."

Leia bent the knee of the leg she was standing on.

"One, two, three."

Han grunted as Leia pushed off the ground and put all of her weight in his hands. She then moved one hand off his shoulder and reached up.

She looked down at him. "Don't drop me."

"Don't you trust me, Sweetheart?" he winked at her.

Another eye roll, before she removed her other hand from his shoulder. She stretched her body to its full length and placed her free foot on Han's shoulder. Han adjusted his feet to compensate for her shift in position. Leia's fingers wrapped around the ladder, and she pulled hard. It came crashing down, knocking her off-balance. Han caught her by the waist and lowered her to her feet.

The ladder still was above Leia's head, though it was within Han's reach. He held his hands out again, and Leia put her foot in them, and he lifted her up to meet the ladder. He then placed his hands on her backside, and pushed her up until her feet reached the bottom rung. Leia began to climb with the agility of a spider monkey. By the time Han began to ascend the ladder, she was already halfway up.

Han looked down at the alley to see if anyone was following them as he began climbing. No one. Maybe the man and his friends gave up the chase. He looked up. The action gave him a clear view up the princess's skirt. He cringed. While he enjoyed the view, it felt…wrong…disrespectful (had he ever felt disrespectful taking an advantage of a view? Han couldn't remember) watching her thighs and backside work. He dropped his eyes and focused on the rungs in front. However, his eyes wandered up.

Focusing on the rungs wasn't helping. Han picked up his speed, and he hurried his way up until his chest was level with her thighs. He couldn't help touching her body, but it was better than stealing looks up her skirt. However, this interfered with her climbing. Leia stopped, turned her head over her shoulder, and gave him stink-eye.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm hurrying you up."

"You're slowing me down."

Leia's eyes caught a movement at the entrance of the alley.

"We've got company."

"Then you better get moving."

The princess finally reached the top of the ladder and climbed onto the roof. Han followed suit. There was no question that their predators saw them, and they'd be right behind Han and Leia soon. Han took a moment to glance down at their enemies.

"What are you doing! They'll be here any minute!"

Wearing a quizzical expression, Han turned his head to Leia.

"What?"

"Goroborian is down there."

"Really?"

Leia knelt down and leaned her head over the side. The weapon's dealer was talking with their pursuers. The man and his friends turned their angry faces up to the pair before walking away. Goroborian held his cigar to his mouth and puffed on it a few times as he stared at the princess and the smuggler. He raised an eyebrow and then walked away.

"What just happened?"

"I think we're in the clear."

Leia sat back on her haunches, as did Han. The gave each other an incredulous look. Han winked and flashed her his lop-sided grin.

"The famous Solo luck at play, Your Worshipfulness."

Leia rolled her eyes yet again—how Han loved when she did that—and started toward the ladder.

Han grabbed her hand as she passed him.

"Can't go back that way."

"Why not? You said we're in the clear."

"Goroborian stopped them, but they'll be waiting for us somewhere down the street."

"So we're trapped here."

Han looked around. His eyes lit up when he noticed the door that led into the building. The paint was faded and it looked weak.

"Come'n."

Still holding her hand, Han led her to the door and tried the handle. His lips twisted to the right when he tried the look.

"It's locked."

Han let go of Leia, bent his legs, and rammed his body into the door. He repeated his actions.

Leia crossed her arms over her chest.

"That may work _if_ the door opened in."

Han pulled a face. He studied the old-fashion doorknob, braced his foot against the door, and tugged on the knob.

"Move."

The princess pushed him to the side, pulled out a bobby pin from her hair, and crouched down in front of the knob. She bent the pin and slipped it into the keyhole. Biting her lip, Leia worked the pin up and down until she heard a click.

"Where'd you learn that?"

"There was an old barn near the pa—where I lived. I would break into it to hide from my aunts' etiquette lessons. They wanted me to be a 'proper princess." She huffed. "As if that was the most important thing in the galaxy."

Han smiled. "Etiquette lessons?"

"Shut up."

Leia turned the knob. The door opened, and a siren screamed out.

"Damn! Security will be on us faster than it'll take us to figure out a new plan." Han rubbed the scar under his lip. "Maybe I can talk our way out of this."

"Your mouth usually causes us more trouble than if you kept it shut."

"Then what do you suggest?"

Leia's large brown eyes searched their surrounds before they found a long piece of thick lumber. She then eyed the space between their building and the building next to it. She ran to the piece of lumber.

"I hope you're not thinking what I'm thinking."

She knelt down and tried to pick up the plank. She lifted it off the ground but was having trouble maneuvering it.

"Help me."

Han shook his head. "I don't think this is a good idea."

However, he walked over to the board and lifted the other end. He then hoisted his end over his shoulder. Leia did the same. They carried it to the edge of the rooftop and slid it across the gap between the buildings. Han looked over the edge and grimaced.

"This doesn't look safe."

"Obviously, someone did this before. Why else would this board be here?"

She pushed down on the board, testing the stability of it. She looked across the building. There was enough hang over on both sides to keep it in place.

"Hold it."

"I'm going first."

Before Han could protest, Leia stepped on the edge of the lumber. Han grabbed the end, and she used his head to steady herself. She let go of his head, held her arms out to the side, and put one foot over the other. The princess took careful steps, but when she was about one third across the bridge they created, she wobbled. Han's heart leapt into his throat, cutting off his breath.

However, Leia's spider-monkey-like agility kicked in. Still holding her hands out, she ran across the board until she reached the other side. Han exhaled.

She smiled at him and placed her chest on the end of the board on her side to keep it steady for Han.

"Your turn."

Han looked down again. The building had to be seven stories high.

"Don't look down. Just do it."

Solo inhaled, stepped on the board, and held his arms out like Leia. At first his steps were shaky—he definitely did not have the agility of the princess—but he had no choice but to continue. Han turned his body and side-stepped his way across. He started to become comfortable, confident, and quickened his steps. He looked at Leia. Her face did not reflect his confidence. In fact, there was fear in her eyes.

Han had a few steps until his feet would be on solid ground. He took larger steps and just as he was about to step onto the edge of the roof, he lost his balance.

"Han!"


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11:

Han Solo teetered on the makeshift bridge and then fell to his right.

"Han!"

His fingers searched for the lip of the roof, but before he caught it, a two small hands caught his left wrist. The board fell into the alley's abyss. Han glanced up at Leia; her faces was contorted with effort. She was on her knees leaning over the edge of the roof. Han couldn't help but be impressed with her unexpected strength. His right hand stretched up, but he couldn't reach the top of the roof's lip. Leia leaned back, pulling him up enough for him to grab a hold of it. His fingers curled around the roof's edge. Leia leaned back even farther and pulled him up further, and his feet scrambled to find purchase on the permacrete building. The texture was rough enough for him to catch hold.

"Grab my wrists."

"You won't be able to pull me up."

"I will."

Han stared up into her strained face for a moment. Determination filled her eyes.

"I won't let you fall."

Her confidence eased Han's uneasiness a little. He let go of the roof and took hold of her wrists. His body slipped further down. Leia repositioned herself so that her feet were planted against the edge. She tugged on his wrist as Han used his feet to aid in his rescue. Leia grunted as she leaned back more so that she was almost lying flat on the roof. Han's body propelled forward so that his chest laid over the roof's lip. His right hand let go of her wrist and grabbed the roof's edge. She didn't release his other wrist. Instead, she straightened out her legs, and Han abruptly found himself lying on top of her.

Both were panting hard. They gazed into each other's eyes as they fought to catch their breaths. Leia's large brown eyes were wide with fear. There was something else there, too. What was it? It looked something akin to…love.

No, he had to be mistaken.

"I'll never doubt you in the future."

"I'll remember that."

"You're pretty strong for your size."

"I thought I was going to lose you," she whispered.

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't."

Han reached out and smoothed her hair. His eyes fell to her lips. A different kind of fear filled her eyes.

He raised an eyebrow. "There must be some way I can thank you."

"You can thank me by getting off of me."

"Oh, I can think of a more…fun way to thank you."

She narrowed her eyes and shoved him. Wearing a lop-sided grin, Han rolled off of her. Leia focused on her dress, smoothing it out and brushing off the dust. Han watched her hands work, following them down her body to her legs.

"You're hurt."

Leia looked at her knees. Small rocks were imbedded in the scrapes on her skin.

"It's no big deal."

Solo sat up. "Uh-oh."

Leia started to sit up and look at him. "Wha—"

Keeping one hand on the back of her head and the other over her mouth, Han pushed her back to the ground and lay part of his body over her. The anger in Leia's eyes melted into fear as beams of light landed around them. She pulled Han's hand from her mouth and then stayed as still as possible. Han's face was centimeters from hers, so close that their noses almost touched. The fear in her eyes was peppered with something else, and Han surmised that her fear had little to do with being discovered by the security guards who surely had reached the roof.

The quick beat of a heart thumped against his chest, and Han wasn't certain if it was his heart or hers. Maybe a mixture of both. The lights searching for them disappeared, but Han couldn't move. And Leia didn't push him away. His eyes fell to her lips; they were parted, allowing her breath to heat his skin. Han took note of the plumpness of her bottom lip. He lifted his hand, stretched out his fingers, and drew a circle around her mouth. She inhaled.

"I smeared your lipstick," he whispered.

"Oh. Thanks," she whispered back.

Han removed his hand from behind her head and pulled himself away from her. Leia still lay where she was. Han gazed at her as he stood up. The way she looked at him…

Han exhaled and reached out a hand. "We better get moving."

Leia sat up, took his hand, and allowed him to assist her to her feet. She avoided his eyes.

"Do you think they saw us?"

"No, but I don't think we should wait around to find out."

They looked around.

"There." Leia pointed at a vent.

"Not bad."

Still holding her hand, Han led Leia to the metal square that jutted out of the roof. They looked down into the abyss.

"How far do you think the drop is?"

"Could be a couple of meters."

"We'll make a lot of noise dropping into it."

"Do you see another option?"

Both of them looked at the plank near the edge of the other side of the roof and then looked at each other.

"I'll lower you down."

Leia swung her legs over the edge of the vent. Han took both of her hands, flipped around so that her stomach was pressed against the side, and she straightened her arms.

"Ready?"

She nodded, and Han began lowering her. She looked down into the dark pit.

"Lower."

Han leaned over the vent and grunted. She looked up at him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. You're just heavier than you look."

"Thanks."

Leia returned her attention to the blackness below her. Han leaned his body against the vent and rested his chest inside it.

"I think I can see the bottom."

Solo winced. The princess kept her voice barely above a whisper but it still sounded loud to him.

"u can let me go now."

Han found that he couldn't.

She looked up at him. "Let me go."

His chest clenched.

"What can you see?"

"Not much. Let me down."

Leia released her hold on him. Han let one of her wrists go.

"Han," she hissed.

Han's fingers slowly opened and she started to slip out of his out of his fingers. His gut flipped and he leaned down further to catch her hand…

His body propelled forward and he fell into the vent head first, knocking Leia to the ground before he landed on top of her—once again. The clatter and bang followed their fall.

Leia held her head. "What is wrong with you?"

"I told you you were heavy."

"You're the one who wouldn't let me go."

"I—I didn't want you to make a loud noise when you landed."

"Oh, so falling in after me was meant to muffle the noise?"

"I didn't plan on falling. You pulled—"

"Don't blame this on me. You obviously leaned in too far."

"You pulled me in."

"Please, you fell in after you released me. You leaned in too far."

"So it's my fault."

"It's not mine."

Han could barely make out her narrowed eyes. He opened his mouth but clamped it shut when a cricket-y noise traveled towards them. They both turned to where the sound came from, and then Leia looked at Han. He could see the white of her eyes.

"Just great," he muttered.

"What was that?"

"How would I know?"

"You seem like the kind of guy that finds himself in a lot of vents."

"Nice."

Han followed Leia's eyes as she looked up. The moonlight was shattered by the smoggy sky, but it was enough to see the top of the vent.

"It's too high to climb back out."

"Yeah."

They both pressed her lips together as they listened.

"Do you think it's moving away from us?"

"Sounds like it."

Leia snapped her head toward the dark hollow; her hair slapped Han's face. His eyes instinctively closed as he inhaled the flowery scent.

"Guess we have no choice but to find out."

The princess hiss as she shifted to her hands and knees.

"You okay?"

"I'll be fine."

"How's your head? I didn't plan on falling on top of you."

She looked back at him. "Yeah, I was thinking you did it on purpose. Can we get moving now?"

Han tried to squeeze around her. "I'm going first."

Leia pushed against him so he couldn't get past. "I'm already here."

"If you just move over—"

"I _said_ I'm already here," she said through clenched teeth as she propelled herself forward. "Let's get moving."

"Yes, Your Most Highly Glorious Highness."

Han smiled when she expelled an "oh!"

They crawled down the vent; their progress was slow due to their efforts to move as quiet as possible. Who know who inhabited this building, though Han figured it was abandoned. Most occupied buildings would make sure their vents were clear of possibly-hostile entities. Han didn't like the fact that Leia was going to encounter whatever lay in their path first. However, as her skirt swished to the left, he caught sight of the knife strapped to her thigh. As much as he wanted to protect her, Han had to admit that Leia was capable of taking care of herself. And him. How many times did she rescue him from a bind?

Han grimaced. More times than he wanted to remember. He had returned the favor, though, on many occasions; Leia had a knack for finding trouble. She was almost as bad as Luke.

Luke. Solo wondered if the kid and Chewie had caught Leia's would-be assassin. Chewie would contact him, when they did; Han was certain of that. But their silence made Han concerned. Maybe their plan to lure the assassin out failed, and that predator remained on the base. Maybe the assassin got the upper hand on his and Leia's friends. If the assassin was a professional….

If he or she was a professional, Leia would've been dead already.

The smuggler bumped right into Leia's backside. She twisted her head over her shoulder and gave him a dirty look.

"Why'd you stop?"

Her eyes widened and retracted. "Aren't you paying attention? We've hit the end."

It was then Han noticed that the only way to go was to the right or to the left. Leia sat on her haunches; her head grazed the ceiling of the vent.

"Which way do you think?"

"You're letting me make the decision?"

"No, I'm just asking your opinion."

"So you can do the opposite."

The cricket-y sound traveled down the left side.

"I think right," Han said and pushed her that way. "And I think we should crawl a little faster."

"We'll make too much noise. Who knows what's below us?"

"I'm more worried about what's in here with us." Han pushed at her backside. "Go."

Leia obeyed, moving her hands and knees at a quicker pace. Every so often, she grunted when she put her knee down, and Han wished it was his knees that were torn up by the roof instead of hers. Still, it was necessary that they traveled as fast as they could. And she was faster than him. Han struggled to keep up.

Again, Leia stopped. This time Han was paying attention; their ears were assaulted by the crickety-noise that was growing louder from the direction in which they traveled.

"We can't go back."

"Can you see any forks in the road?"

"I can't see much past my hand."

"Great."

The cricket-y noise grew louder and was bearing down fast on them.

"I see it now!"

Han knew that they didn't have room to turn their bodies around—at least he didn't; Leia was small enough to do so. He pushed Leia to the ground and drew his blaster; she squirmed under his hand. He blasted at the worm-like creature twice. It screamed and writhed around, but all Han managed to do was slow it down. It continued towards them, slithering side to side so that Han couldn't get a bead on him. If he shot and missed, he took the chance of hitting the wall and letting lose a barrage of blaster fire.

The creature raised its wart-covered head and opened its mouth to reveal several rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its tongue flew out of its mouth towards Han. Leia pulled her hand out from underneath her, raised her head, and sliced off the creature's tongue with her knife before it touched Han. Han blasted the whipping tongue, and it splattered in pieces over them.

However, the creature wasn't deterred. It chomped its teeth as it approached Leia. Han grabbed her legs and pulled her back. The rope-like creature slithered forward, opened its mouth and swooped down towards Leia.

Han tried to pull her out of the creature's reach, but he wasn't able to move her out of the range of its menacing mouth.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12:

"No!"

When pulling Princess Leia Organa by her legs didn't move her out of the range of the creature's mouth, Han Solo spread his legs as far as they could go, grabbed her waist, and pulled her under him.

However, that didn't help much either. The creature just stretched its snake like body, widened its mouth, and came down on Leia. Instead of recoiling, she pushed Han's hands from her waist and launched herself forward. When she was directly under the creature's mouth, Leia thrusted her arm up and shoved her knife into the roof of the creature's mouth. It howled and recoiled before its long spiked tongue shot out towards Han. Han whipped out his blaster and shot the appendage. It splattered all over him, Leia and the walls.

Leia looked over her shoulder and gave him stink-eye before she slashed the angry creature's throat. Its blood spurted out and covered her and Han. Her cut was so deep that she practically decapitated the creature. Han grabbed her waist and pulled again before the creature's head landed on her.

They both panted hard. Leia rolled over to her back so that Han hovered over her. He gazed into her face as he tried to catch his breath. While her expression still projected the remnants of fear, her victorious eyes smiled up at him. Han couldn't look away from of her blood-covered face. Even covered in the grotesque creature blood and guts, she was still beautiful.

"That was close," she breathed.

"Too close."

Han lifted one hand and used his thumb to wipe away the guck on her cheek. Leia didn't swat his hand away, nor did she wiggle her way from underneath him. She lay frozen in place. Her large brown eyes were wide (was it fear? Did she fear him?) and unblinking. There was something there, a glint, that he had never noticed before. Or was this the first time she looked at him that way?

Of course, Han's interaction with Leia mostly consisted of sharp snark and loud outbursts. And those large eyes of hers were usually narrowed and angry. But it was possible that glint was always there…maybe he just didn't notice…maybe he was just too busy arguing with her to even imagine there was a chance that she more than liked him.

 _I don't want you to leave._ Leia said that when she was healing from the spider bite.

 _I don't want to leave either,_ Han thought in this very moment.

Leia then sat up, and her face was inches from his. She reached up and wiped away the creature's guts and blood from Han's face. Her breath once again warmed his face; her eyes fell to his lips before returning to his eyes. Han gazed at her as he inched his face closer to hers…

Leia turned her head to look over her shoulder.

"Should we continue forward? Or go back?"

Han hung his head. "Forward. I don't want to run into that thing we heard behind us."

The princess couldn't help but brush up against Han as she flipped to her hands and knees. She hissed as her knees touched the ground.

"You okay?"

She changed the subject. "We'll have to climb over it."

Han imagined her nose wrinkling.

"Yea."

"Do you think you'll fit?"

"What choice do we have?"

"Right."

Leia squeezed past the gruesome head of the creature and then climbed on top of its squishy body. Han followed suit, but he had to slither on his stomach to clear the ceiling of the vent. Han watched Leia's knees sink into the creature and envied her because she didn't have to press her whole body against the monster to pass it.

It seemed like forever before they cleared the creature—at least it did to Han. He returned to his hands and knees, crawling along until Leia stopped and sat on her haunches. Han looked over her shoulder.

"Why'd you stop?"

"I think there's an opening in the floor."

Han looked over her shoulder. "There's light coming from it. Could be a way out. Can we fit down it?"

"I think so, but as far as we know that's where the creature came from."

"The one we killed might've been only one."

Leia twisted her head over her shoulder. "What about the one we heard coming from the other direction."

Han frowned. "Right."

"Looks like there's an adjacent corridor before the hole."

"The light is dimmer than the hole. For all we know, the creature came for there."

"For all we know, it's a way to get out."

"I say we go forward," Han suggested.

Leia crawled in the direction of the opening in the floor but stopped when they reached the turn. She looked down it.

"We're going this way."

"No, we're not."

"Yes, we are."

"No, we're not, and I'm in charge."

Leia sat on her haunches and raised an eye-brow.

"Who made you the one in charge?"

"Me."

"You're doing a pretty bad job then."

With that, the princess turned down the adjacent tunnel. Han grabbed her ankle and yanked.

"Let me go!"

"Will you keep it down?"

"I think we're beyond staying quiet. Now, Let. Me. Go."

"At least lemme go first."

"No."

Han grabbed the skirt of her dress and jerked her so that she slid between his legs.

"What do you think you're doing! Oof!"

Solo put his hand on the princess's head, and shoved her the rest of the way between his legs. He then started forward. Leia "huffed" and launched herself upon his back before slithering her way over him. Before Han could grab her ankle, Leia kicked his hand and scrambled away from him.

Han cursed and followed her. "What is wrong with you?"

"You!"

"You're the one that's a pain in the ass, Your High-and-Mighty, Stubborn Worshipfulnessness."

"I think you got that backwards."

"How did I get stuck with you?"

"It was _your_ plan."

"And now I'm thinkin' it was a mistake."

Leia twisted around and narrowed her eyes at him. "Trust me. I'd rather be trapped here with Luke."

"Of course, you would."

"What was that?"

"Nothin'."

The princess stared at him for a pulse and then continued forward. The vent widened, and they didn't have to crawl anymore. Leia bent forward at a forty-five-degree angle as she walked. Han was having a harder time of it. His back made a ninety-degree angle, and his thighs burned with each step.

"Ow!"

"You okay?"

Han rubbed the top of his head. "Yeah."

Solo cringed at the sound of his and Leia's boots clicking against the floor of the vent. If there was anyone—or anything—below them…well, he knew they were attracting a lot of attention. However, the ruckus they made when they killed the creature had to be much worse. Since no blaster fire had shot through the vent, and no one was looking for the source of the commotion he and Leia made, Han didn't worry about being discovered.

Of course, there were the creatures to worry about. The racket he and the princess made could attract unwanted creature attention. They heard one and fought another; who knew how many of those monstrous beings were out there?

Han tugged the skirt of Leia's dress. She turned around.

"What?"

"Take off your boots."

Han sat down and began to pry off his boots.

"In here?"

"We're makin' too much noise."

"Too late for that."

Han tugged on the heel of his right boot. The princess bit her lip and looked down at her feet.

"I don't want to attract the attention of any more creatures in here."

"I'd rather face any dangers wearing shoes."

"I'd rather not face another creature."

Leia's brow furrowed as she watched Han fight with his boot. She held back her laughter by pressing a finger to her lips.

"Do you go through this every time you remove your boots?"

"No," Han grunted.

"By the time you get them off, we'll be creature-fodder."

Han sighed. He wasn't crazy about maneuvering through the vent without shoes either, and he didn't know the terrain; what if Leia cut her feet on something sharp? Her knees were already scraped up because of him. He reflected on her strength as she pulled him onto the roof.

"We're wasting time, Flyboy."

Han huffed. "Fine. Just be quiet-like."

"You're the one that sounds like an elogragh stampede."

He mumbled a few curse words as he pulled on the top of his boot and stood up. Leia had already began moving toward the light. Han quick-stepped it to catch up with her. He grimaced. Leia was right; his footfalls were louder than hers. At least the light was getting brighter.

They passed another opening to their right. Han looked down it as they passed. It was illuminated as well, but at a lower intensity.

"No."

Han rolled his eyes and continued on, stewing over Leia's bossiness. Of course, he was doing what she wanted; what did that say about him?

Solo pushed that question out of his mind and stared ahead. The light silhouetted the princess. Her movements—even in the awkward positions they were forced into—remained graceful, even regal. It must've been all that royal training she received growing up in a palace. What was it like, living in a palace? Han knew only the streets as he grew up. Normally, he would envy someone like her who was pampered and spoiled. Who would he have been if their positions were switched?

Han doubted Leia would be any different that she was now, or that she was as pampered as he believed princess's to be—spoiled, yes; why else did she expect everyone to do as she said? Other than her bossiness, this princess wasn't what he imagined "royal" would be. She may move like a princess, but she brandished a blaster as if it was an extension of her body, and she never complained about the rough living conditions of the rebel bases.

Elegant yet tough. Stubborn but selfless. Strong and independent. Sometimes vulnerable, fragile-something she hid from everyone, but she couldn't hide it from Han. In those brief moments when her guard slipped—just a flash in those large brown eyes—he could see her susceptibility. Leia always came down harder on him than usual after those moments; that's when her words could sting the most. He'd snap back just as sharp. However, he understood where her cruelty came from; he wouldn't want anyone to see him in his weakest moments. And there were those times when they were alone that Leia showed her true self to him. Quiet conversations between night and day, in the cockpit of the _Falcon_ after a particularly rough mission. And there were those few times she cried in front of him.

Did she drop her façade with Luke when they were alone? Or were those precious moments reserved for Han?

He decided to believe the latter just because he couldn't handle the jealousy the former incited in him.

There was no question that Han admired Leia for both her strengths and weaknesses, loved her especially for her weaknesses, for who she was inside. She wasn't the most beautiful woman the smuggler had known, but it was who she was that made her beautiful, made her the most beautiful woman to him. The emotions she stirred inside of him…he had to admit, they scared him and made his heart beat erratically. Love wasn't new to him; there were a few times he fell in love with a woman. However, he never loved someone in the way he loved Leia.

And Han did love Leia.

Leia backed into Han. That was when he heard it: a skittering tapping and scratching against metal. The light ahead dimmed. This new threat didn't sound like the creature they encountered before. No, this wasn't another worm-like creature, and it wasn't just one threat coming their way.


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13:

The tapping and scratching ahead of Han Solo and Princess Leia grew louder. Leia removed her knife from the sheath underneath her skirt. She stepped back further so that her back pressed against Han's chest. He drew his blaster as silhouetted spider-like creatures with long thin legs approached at an alarming rate. Han squeezed the trigger and fired several shots, but that didn't slow down the spiders. Han holstered his weapon and picked up Leia. He dragged her back to where they came from, made a sharp turn, and jumped down the hole in the vent. Leia shut her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck as they dropped. Gravity pulled Han's stomach. He looked down. When were they going to hit the bottom?

The bottom came into sight. Fortunately, the source of the light that rose from the hole wasn't directly in front of them. The light came from the right, and it was brighter than the one they were pursuing earlier. If the fall didn't injure them, there was hope of escaping this creature-infested vent system.

Han grunted as they hit the bottom. With Leia in his arms, he rolled toward the light and ended up on his back with Leia on top of him. She sat up, straddling his hips. Han took deep breaths; he wasn't sure if he was recovering from their fall or reacting to Leia's closeness. He abruptly sat up, and she slid to his lap but kept her hands on his chest. Leia didn't seem to notice the effect she had on him. Instead, her eyes were focused on the opening to their right.

Han inhaled and brandished his blaster. Those spiders would continue to follow them, and it wouldn't be long before they were overrun. However, they were in the optimum position to make a stand. The opening wasn't that big, and the creatures were large so they wouldn't be able to overwhelm him and Leia before he blasted them to pieces. Han leaned over and fired a few shots up the tunnel. A screech echoed through the vents. Han then waited but no creatures came down. The tapping and skittering retreated.

"Do you think they're gone?"

Han tilted his ear toward the opening. "Yeah."

He then looked at Leia who stared at him wearing an expression on her face he had never seen before. Her mouth was open just a sliver, and her eyes...so soft was her gaze. Han's heart skipped a beat. She looked vulnerable, and Han never wanted to protect her more than he did this moment.

"You okay?" Han crooked.

Leia nodded her head. That sat there a moment, catching their breaths before Leia slid off of his lap.

"Look, the source of the light."

Han's eyes followed her finger. Not too far from them was a grate.

"Come on."

Leia reached the grate first and peeked through it.

"See anything?"

"Looks like it was once a hospital room. It's looks abandoned now."

"Good."

Han scooted Leia over and kicked the grate. Leia caught it before it tumbled to the floor. She then pulled it into the vent. Han lay down on his stomach and put his head through the hole.

"Me first."

"Maybe I should go first."

Leia rolled her eyes, lay on her stomach, and dropped her feet through the opening. Han caught her wrists and lowered her down. When she was as far down as he could hold her, he released her wrists, and she gracefully landed on the floor. Han then positioned himself so he could fall feet first. He hung onto the ledge of the vent before he allowed his body to fall.

Leia dusted herself off as she looked at the soiled sheets on twisted beds that haphazardly lined the room. She walked towards the door and popped her head out the door. Han followed her.

Han started to walk out of the room, but a small hand jerked him back and shoved him against the wall. The door slammed shut.

"What are you—"

"Sh. Someone's coming."

Han listened. "I don't hear— "

Leia clapped her hand over his mouth and tipped her head to the right. Han still didn't hear anything.

"No one's— "

Leia pressed her hand harder against Han's mouth, muffling his already muffled words. Several minutes passed. Han studied her furrowed brow. She held her bottom lip between her teeth and her eyes were wide. He grabbed her hand to remove it from his mouth. He then froze as he heard the faint sound of boots coming their way. As the footfalls grew louder, Leia pressed her body against Han's but kept her eyes on the door.

"This one's locked."

A door banged against the wall. Another door buckled under the thumping that sounded like a body slamming against it.

"Clear."

"Clear."

A bang again followed by chaotic yelling and blaster fire.

Leia turned her large brown eyes up to Han. She dropped her hand from his mouth. He made his way through the mess and gathered up sheets. The princess walked to the long windows and looked out. She looked at Han and held up five fingers. He nodded, and she collected more sheets. Without a word, they tied the sheets together, making a long rope. Once finished, Han eased a window open. Leia grabbed the end of the rope and scanned the room. She tried to push the iron bed closest to the window, but it wouldn't budge. She studied the window before tying the rope to the bedframe.

Han pushed at the bed. It moved a few centimeters.

"I'm not sure it's a good anchor," he whispered into her ear.

"Even if it can't hold our weight, it won't fit through the window."

Solo checked Leia's knot and then threw the other end of the rope out the window.

"Me first this time."

Leia pulled a face and ushered him to the window with a dramatic gesture of her arms. Han sat at the edge of the window, took a deep breath, glanced at Leia before grabbing the makeshift rope, and lowered his body down. With his hands on the rope, he pushed off the wall with his feet. He pushed and slid as he descended.

The sky cracked with thunder, and a flash of lightning blinded Han for a moment. Pounding rain followed the sky ruckus, soaking him and the sheets. He wiped his eyes with one hand and looked up at Leia. She was leaning out the window and jumped when the sky cracked again. He squinted but the rain hindered his vision, and he couldn't see the expression on her face. Han frowned then looked down. He had climbed down two-thirds of the rope.

The sheet rope dropped, and Han's heart jumped into his throat when he heard Leia scream. He looked up to see the bed jammed against the open window, and she was clinging to the iron frame. Han froze as she struggled to grab the sheets.

"Leia!"

Leia's feet scrambled against the wall, and Han began to climb up the rope. However, the princess managed to find purchase. She wrapped her legs around it and hugged it to her chest.

"I'm okay!"

Han watched her as she descended hand-over-hand, inching her way down. The soaked sheet-rope dropped again. Han grimaced; the rain was loosening the knots.

"Use your feet against the wall!"

Leia unwrapped one leg from the rope but didn't move her other leg.

"Both feet!"

She looked down at him, and Han imagined the face she was pulling. Unsure of how long the sheet-rope would hold their weight, he concentrated on his descent. He reached the end, and dropped to the ground. Han shielded his eyes and looked up again at Leia. She had taken his advice and was moving faster than he did.

He held his breath until Leia reached the end of the rope. Her feet dangled as she clung to the end.

"Jump."

"I will."

She bit her lip as she released the rope. Han held out his hands, but she didn't need his assistance. Leia landed on her feet in a crouched position. She straightened her legs and glanced down at herself.

"At least the rain will clean us up."

She began swiping at the bloody mess on her dress. Han watched her, staring at the way her dress clung to her body. The soaked material left little to the imagination.

He cleared his throat and began brushing the creature's blood from his own clothes. "Yeah, I think our appearance would've attract too much attention."

Leia tipped her face up and ran her hands through her hair until the rain dripping from her it was no longer red. Han brushed the gooey mess from his own hair. He dropped his chin but kept his eyes on her as she lifted her skirt and wrung it out. She abruptly turned around, and Han's face reddened. But Leia didn't seem to notice his leer; she turned her back to him and lifted her hair.

"Can you get my back?"

"Sure."

Han placed his hand on her shoulder. He started at the nape of her neck. Leia inhaled and Han caught his lower lip between his teach. Slowly, he ran his hand down her body. She tensed when his hand reached her lower back. He paused for a moment before continuing down her backside. She shivered.

"You cold?"

Leia shook her head. "No," she whispered.

"You're shivering," he said as he ran his hand down her back again.

"No I'm not."

Han smiled to himself as he bit back a sarcastic comment; he didn't want to ruin the moment. When was he going to get another opportunity to freely run his hands against her body? He repeated the slow motion several times. Leia swallowed, and Han's respiration picked up speed. After three more times she cleared her throat and turned to face him.

"I should be clean by now."

Han gazed into her large brown eyes and nodded. "Uh-huh."

She gazed back up at him, and there was that look again: open and vulnerable. Han reached out.

"You have some…"

He wiped the remaining blood from her cheeks, brushing his finger underneath her bottom lip. She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Is it gone?" She whispered.

Han nodded.

"You have a little…"

Leia used both hands to wipe Han's face.

"Do I look okay now?"

She lifted herself onto her toes and nodded. Han's breath froze in his lungs. He caught her wrist and leaned in.

Leia dropped her heels to the ground and stepped back.

"Turn around. I have to get your back."

Han's face fell as he turned around. She briskly brushed his back several times.

"You're good."

"I know."

Leia raised her eyebrow and placed a hand on her hip. Her eyes no longer gleamed with openness and vulnerability.

"Don't you think we should get moving?"

"Right. Come'n."

Han took Leia's hand, and she didn't protest. He picked up speed as he led her down a maze of alleys before slowing his pace.

Leia looked over her shoulder. "I think we're in the clear."

"Yeah."

Han's body slammed against the permacrete wall, knocking his breath out of his body. Leia yelped, and Han started to reach for his blaster.

"I don't think so."

Han looked at the humanoid that held a blaster to Leia's head.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

Han Solo grunted when his body hit the permacrete wall. Han started to reach for his blaster, but a substantial hand with rough, strong fingers wrapped around his throat, and a knee smashed into his wrist. Han's blaster fell from his hand. The former smuggler fought to wedge his fingers into the cramped space between his neck and his captor's hand.

"I don't think so."

Goroborian's henchman, Harisco loosened his hold on Han's throat. Han's heart dropped into his stomach when he saw Imgris pointing a blaster at Princess Leia Organa's head. She stared at Imgris with her large brown eyes opened wide.

"Goroborian let us go," Han croaked.

"How would you know that?"

Han said nothing. Harisco tightened his grip again. Han clawed at his captor's hand.

"We heard him. He told you to let us go."

Harisco stopped squeezing Han's neck, and looked at the princess.

"Goroborian may have lost interest in you, but _we_ haven't."

"If you hurt her— "

"What are you going to do about it?" Harisco sneered and squeezed Han's throat again.

Han fought to breathe.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll let us go."

Imgris laughed. "What spirit she has, Solo. No worries we have ways to break her."

Leia's eyes narrowed her eyes. She grabbed Imgris's blaster. She slammed her hand into his wrist when she twisted the blaster in the opposite direction. Harisco's and Han's mouths dropped open as they stared at the princess. Imgris's blaster clattered as it hit the ground, and Harisco returned his attention to choking Han.

Imgris dove for his blaster. Leia shoved her body into his, and he hit the ground with a "huff." Leia fell with him. She then performed a summersault and snapped to her feet, brandishing the blaster. She hooked her boot under Imgris's chin as she pointed the weapon at his head. With lightning speed, Leia reached under her skirt with her free hand and hurdled her knife at Harisco.

Harisco yelled as the knife stabbed his upper arm. He let Han's neck go.

"Hand's up."

Gororbian's henchmen complied. Panting, Han retrieved his blaster from the ground and pointed it at Haricso. Han then pulled Leia's knife out Harisco's arm, wiped it on his pants, and held it out to Leia.

"I think this belongs to you."

Without removing her eyes on Imgris, Leia took the knife and slipped it into its sheath. Han ran his hands over Harisco's body and removed two knives, a hold-out blaster, and several flash bombs.

"Do you have any weapons other than this blaster?" Leia asked her captive.

Imgris shook his head. Leia raised an eyebrow.

"Search him, Han."

"Yes, Your Worshipfulness," he grinned.

Leia kept her eyes on Harisco as Han searched Imgris. He removed a vibroblade and an electro-projector.

"She's not too fond of liars."

Imgris's yellow eyes widened, and his mouth formed an "o"; Han's grin widened.

"Here's how this is going to work," Leia said. "I'm going to release your friend, and you and he will go on your way."

Harisco's facial muscles twitched. The princess pressed her foot down; Imgris began to choke.

"Understand?"

When Harisco failed to answer, Leia squeezed the trigger of the blaster. The bold hit the ground millimeters from Imgris's head.

"I wouldn't anger her if I were you."

Harisco looked at his partner, grimaced, and stepped back.

"Understood."

Leia lifted her foot from Imgris's throat but kept the blaster trained on him. The humanoid scrambled to his feet and put up his hands.

Leia gestured with the weapon. "Go on and don't turn back. If you do, you'll be dead."

"You heard her. Move."

Goroborian's men kept their hands up as they walked down the alley. The sky lit up before it cracked, and rain poured down, obscuring their view. Han held his hand over his eyes and squinted.

"At least the rain will clean us off."

Han dropped his hand and looked at Leia. Her dress clung to her body, exposing every curve. She lifted her head up to the rain and ran her fingers through her hair before moving her hands down her body. Frozen in place, Han watched her; she didn't notice. Leia continued to work on herself until most of the creature's blood washed away. She then glanced at Han and tilted her head.

"What?"

"Nothin'."

Han looked down at himself and brushed off the chunks of creature.

"Can you do my back?"

Han froze and his eyebrows rose. Leia stood with her back to him. She lowered her chin and gathered her hair in her hands, exposing the pale skin on the nape of her neck.

"Uh. Sure."

Solo put one hand on Leia's shoulder and looked her over. He lifted his other hand and ran it down her back. He stopped above her backside and repeated the action. As he worked, he slowed his pace, appreciating the strength in her muscles and the slight arch of her back. After the fifth time his hand passed over her body, he let his hand slide over her backside.

Leia shivered. Han held his breath, expecting the bombardment of harsh words, but she said nothing. He lifted his hand and placed it just below the nape of her neck then slid his hand down her back and over the curve of her backside. Again, Leia said nothing. Han couldn't resist; he repeated the action again two more times.

Solo exhaled and let Leia go. He stepped in front of her and discovered that her eyes were closed and her bottom lip was caught between her teeth. After a pulse, the princess opened her eyes, released her lip, and let her hair fall. Han gazed into her eyes; he couldn't resist. He brushed her hair back, cupped her cheeks, and wiped the rain from her cheeks with his thumbs.

Leia reached up, hesitated, and then brushed his hair out of his face. Her fingers moved down his temple and across his cheeks. So gentle was her touch… Han's eyes closed instinctively, savoring the soft skin of her fingers. Her hand moved to the back of his head, and Han opened his eyes. She licked her lips, and his muscles tensed. Han leaned towards her…

The sky lit up and cracked again. Leia jumped before stepping out of Han's reach. He deflated.

"We should get back to the hotel before we run into more trouble."

"Yeah."

Leia started toward the street, but Han grabbed her hand.

"It's best we take the alleys."

"Right."

Han swallowed down his frustration as he led her to safety.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Han Solo's hazel eyes left the vid-screen on the shelf and landed on Princess Leia Organa. She stood framed by the doorway of the refresher. The T-shirt she borrowed from him hung off her shoulder and touched her mid thighs. Han swallowed; she never appeared more attractive than she did at this moment. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she was wearing _his_ T-shirt.

Han cleared his throat. "I gotta go, Chewie."

He clicked off the commlink before Chewbacca had a chance to utter another word.

"Thanks again for letting me use your shirt." Leia tugged on the hem, exposing more shoulder.

"No problem."

An uncomfortable silence followed. Han's gazes traveled from Leia's face down to the rest of her body. Water dripped down her hair and was soaked up by the white material of the shirt. She twisted a lock around two fingers and stood with her left foot over the right, forcing her left hip to jut out. Her cheeks blushed pink.

"Was that Chewie?"

"Huh? Oh. Yeah."

Leia tilted her head to the right.

"Are you going to tell me what news he had?"

"Oh. Yeah."

She sighed when he didn't elaborate. "And?"

"The assassin didn't follow 'em like we planned."

"Oh."

"Good news, though. Reikken's security team has some leads."

"What are they?"

"Chewie didn't say."

"You didn't ask?"

"It was a short conversation."

Leia placed a hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you going to tell me _who_ they think the assassin is?"

Han dropped his gaze and scratched the back of his head.

"Forgot to ask."

"You forgot to ask?"

He looked in her eyes then looked away again. "Yeah."

Leia just stared at him. Han inwardly cringed.

"It was a short conversation." _Lame._

She crossed her arms over her chest and sized up his words. He felt her eyes burrowing holes into his body. The silence began to fill the small room, suffocating Han. He fiddled with his commlink which laid upon on the table. Leia bit her lip and then released it. She opened her mouth to speak, and Han held his breath.

"I can't believe I forgot my pajamas."

"Hm?" Not what he expected. "Oh, yeah. Good thing I brought some. I don't usually wear 'em." Han winked.

Leia dropped her arms and rolled her eyes; Han's stomach flipped. He watched her cross the room and plop herself down on the bed. She sat with perfect posture in the middle of it and tucked her stocking feet underneath her thighs.

Han tossed the holo-screen remote to her, but Leia failed to catch it. She was staring at the screen with her mouth slightly open as if she had never seen a holo-screen before. Maybe it had been a long time; maybe it was the images on the screen. The smuggler expelled a breath, stood up, and grabbed the things he needed to clean up from his bag. He walked over to her, picked up the remote, and clicked a few buttons, switching the program from the news.

"Watch somethin' fun."

Leia looked up at him and took the remote from his propped-out hand. She then returned her attention to the screen. Han glanced at the holo-screen. A generic sitcom with a predictable plot played out. He stole a glance at Leia who intently watched the story unfold. He smiled to himself, continued with his path, and shut the refresher door behind him.

Leia's lilting laughter penetrated the refresher door. Han froze. When was the last time she laughed like that? He racked his brain; come to think of it, he had never heard her laugh like that. The sound was giddy, unrestrained, punctuated by bouts of silence. Han smiled again. It was such an intoxicating sound. He could spend hours listening to her laughter.

Solo looked at himself in the mirror and his smile faded. What was he doing? He didn't have room for romance in his life, not with a debt hanging over his head. He didn't even want a relationship, did he? Han desired something more from her, something more intimate and beyond their friendship...

He grabbed the edge of the sink as his world began to spin. Han never wanted attachments or the responsibilities of a relationship. Entanglements like that didn't go with his lifestyle. He had had relationships before—even had fallen in love on more than one occasion—but he was never willing to change his ways. Those relationships were short-lived a matter of convenience.

However, this time felt different. Han inhaled and forcefully expelled his breath. He had opened himself to her, shared things with her that he had shared with no one. It was still hard for him to be that transparent, and he still held back on revealing his past and emotions, but he _wanted_ her to know more about him; he wanted to feel her deep inside his heart. He wanted to build a life with her—

Leia's life was rebellion and politics. That's what she was raised for, and that is all she seemed to know. Still, she had opened herself to him, had allowed herself to be vulnerable around him. Leia held back, though. Han couldn't blame her. He spoke of leaving too far too often, and she had already lost most of the people in her life with the destruction of Alderaan. She had experienced so much hurt and pain in her short life.

And Han couldn't stay with the rebellion, and he didn't want to be one more source of pain for her. He cared for her too much. He loved her.

When did that happen? His feelings most likely evolved over the last three years, but it hit him like a wall when he realized he loved her. That was nine months and twenty-two days ago in the mess hall after a particularly loud disagreement—okay, argument—between them. Han thought about their latest misadventure in the vent of the abandoned building, of how Leia's body pressed against his, of how she almost kissed him. Twice. His mind wandered to the memory of them hiding in the trunk, how she had comforted him in his moment of fear.

Could Leia love him? She had strong feelings for him; he was certain of that. She had shown him tenderness over the years—when they weren't arguing—and he had caught her looking at him with a dumb expression on her face. Han was sure he mimicked that same look when he gazed at her at times when she didn't notice. What if she didn't hold her emotions back? What would he do?

"Be careful," he told himself.

Leia laughed again, a belly-shaking laugh, Han imagined, and he smiled. He could see her fall back onto the bed, knees pointed at the ceiling, hands on her abdomen. Self-consciousness abandoned. She always seemed so self-conscious around him—at least when she was aware of his presence. Han had caught Leia staring off to a place only she could see many times. Her expression was always forlorn. These moments would only last a few seconds; she always seemed to become quickly aware of his presence.

Han always wondered what she was thinking about…

He shook that thought out of his head and walked into the shower.

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After a longer-than-needed soak, Han toweled off, dressed, and opened the refresher door. Leia lay on her back, knees pointed to the ceiling, and a hand on her abdomen apparently asleep. She had to be exhausted after their misadventure. Han pressed his lips together; she looked so young—younger than she usually did—lying there like that, not self-conscious, not aware of his presence. Han walked over to her.

"Leia?"

She didn't answer. Han looked at the holo-cube which was still on. He removed the remote from her hand and clicked it off. He then put his hands on his hips and smiled down at her. He sighed, lifted the side of the comforter, and covered her with it. He pursed his lips. He didn't want to wake her, but the comforter didn't sufficiently cover her. Han pulled away the comforter, pushed back the sheets, and slipped his arms under her shoulders and knees. She stirred; Han froze in the compromising position. When she failed to wake, he lifted her off the bed and put her down so that her head rested on a pillow. He leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead before pulling the sheet and comforter over her.

"Pleasant dreams and stranger things."

Han yawned, stretched and climbed under the covers of his bed. With Leia forefront on his mind, he drifted to sleep.

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Han opened his eyes; something wasn't right. He listened to the silence in the room before rolling onto his back and twisting his head around. Leia wasn't in her bed. Han sat up. His brow furrowed as he looked around the room. Light seeped out of the crack of the refresher door. He held his breath and listened. Nothing.

"Leia?"

No answer. Han swiveled his body, dropped his feet to the ground, and walked over to the refresher door. He gently rapped on it.

"Leia, sweetheart?"

Still no answer. Han licked his lips and stood akimbo before pushing the door open. He found her sitting in the shower with her back against the tile wall and knees pulled up to her chest. She was hugging her legs to herself and staring at the opposite wall.

"You okay?"

She didn't move.

"Leia."

Leia looked up at him; her eyes were wide with fear.

"What's wrong?"

She blinked, opened her mouth slightly, and again said nothing.

"You're startin' to scare me."

Her large brown eyes left his face and gazed beyond his shoulder. Han touched the spot on his hip where his blaster normally rested and looked over his shoulder. Nothing was there. He crossed the threshold. The cold tile on the floor shocked his system but did not deter him from going over to her.

"Bad dream?"

She met his eyes again and closed her mouth. Han expected her to shut down, yell at him, insist that she was fine and not haunted by the tragedies in her life, but she defied his expectations by nodding.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Leia swallowed and shook her head "no." Han pressed his lips together and turned toward the sink. He picked up a glass and filled it with water. Then he crouched down next to her and handed her the glass. Those large brown eyes that stared up at him…they squeezed his heart. Her hand brushed against his as she took the glass, and his pulse vibrated through his veins. She took a few gulps before resting it on her knee.

Leia cleared her throat. "I'm fine."

"I didn't say you weren't."

She eyed him for a moment as if she was gauging the truth in his words. Han bent over, took the glass from her hand, and placed it on the counter. He then stood to his full height and held his hands out to her. Leia bit her bottom lip before she took his hands. He pulled her up to her feet and led her out of the shower.

"I'll never let anything hurt you."

His words tumbled out of his mouth before he could catch them. How could he tell her that when he was planning to leave the rebellion, leave her? However, in that moment, Han realized how much he wanted to keep her safe, to be her protector—so much so that it hurt. How could he leave her? How could he even think of leaving her?

Leia released her lip as if she were about to say something, but then her mouth relaxed. Han dropped one of her hands and turned away. Han immediately regretted his would-be broken promise; she was the last person he'd ever want to make false promises to her. But wasn't his continued presence a false promise in its self?

He turned off the refresher light and walked her back to her bed. She sat down on the edge.

"I know."

Her words were just a whisper, but they slammed into Han's ears. He leaned over and placed a kiss on top of her head before he released her hand.

"'Night, Sweetheart."

Leia turned her head to the left and then to the right. Han's brow furrowed then relaxed.

"Where's your little light?"

"I left it on the ship."

He frowned then returned to the refresher. Han flipped on the light and closed the door so it was only open a crack. The light poured into the bedroom, creating a wall of illumination.

"Better?"

"Better," she whispered.

Han walked back to his bed, climbed in, and pulled the covers over his shoulders. He chewed the inside of his cheek. If only he could do more for her…

Just as he was about settled in, he lifted his bare chest off the bed and twisted. Leia still sat in the same place where he left her. Han pressed his lips together, scooted over to one side of the bed, and pulled back the covers. He stole a glance at Leia and took note of the furrow in her brow that was expression barely visible on her face. He rolled away from her and waited a moment before resettling. Offering her a spot in the bed was a stupid and foolish idea. She probably thought he was trying to take an advantage of the situation. If only he could take it back.

When his mind started to slip into oblivion, the bed jiggled. Han's eyes popped wide open and he froze. Then there was a tug on the blankets. He rolled a slightly back to free them from underneath his body. The pulling stopped, a jiggle followed, and the activity ceased. Han closed his eyes as he listened to Leia's respiration. At first, it was uneven and shaky, as if she were crying. He fought the urge to roll over and comfort her. He wanted to do so more than anything, but he feared that she'd rebuke his efforts. Things were going so well between them; he didn't want to chance scaring her away.

Leia's respiration fell into a pattern, and Han's body relaxed. Soon he joined her in sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16:

Han Solo slowly opened his eyes and blinked as they adjusted to the bright light pouring through the thin white curtains covering the window. As his eyes came into focus, he caught his breath. Lying next to him was Leia Organa whose chest rose and fell with each rhythmic breath. His mind ran backtracked to last night and remembered the jostling of the bed as she settled in next to him. He had been facing away from her when he fell asleep, but now he lay facing her. He freed his breath. Her face was turned towards him, and she wore a small smile. At least the memories of the nightmare she had last night had left her. Her hair was splayed out around her and her hand rested between them.

Waking up next to Leia chased away his usual-grumpy mood that mornings brought. Han gazed at her peaceful countenance as a tickle rose inside of him. Who would've thought he would ever wake up next to Princess Leia Organa? Who would believe him if he told anyone? Definitely not Chewie. And they weren't sleeping next to each other in the middle of a battle where they slept in their own sleeping bags if they were lucky to have one at the time. _She_ had climbed into _his_ bed and share the covers with him.

 _I could get used to this._

Solo fought the urge to run his finger along her cheek. He had no intension of sharing this moment with anyone else, not even Chewie. No, this was his, and his alone. He picked up a lock of her hair that laid inches away from his face, held it to his nose, and inhaled the vinda blossom scent. If he had to pick a favorite scent, it would be vandal blossom—at least it was now. Han then rubbed the stands between his forefinger and thumb; So soft, so smooth. Not like Chewbacca's. Han twisted it around his finger in the way that Leia did when she was standing in the doorway of the refresher—wearing _his_ shirt—last night.

After playing with her hair for a moment more, Han's eyes traveled back to Leia's face. He caressed her cheek with his eyes before moving on to her mouth. Her mouth was slightly open underneath that small smile. It was then when he noticed the pool of drool on the pillow. Han smiled; as perfect as she was in this moment to him, she wasn't perfect. He loved her even more. Unable to control his urge any longer, he reached out and drew a line along the side of her face.

Han's finger stopped at the curve of her cheek and retracted at the speed of a shovern runner as she began to stir under his touch. Han closed his eyes. He heard her yawn—a delicate, "Leia" yawn—and felt the bed move. He could see her stretching her arms above her head and arching her back in his mind's eye. He bit back his sympathetic yawn.

"You awake?"

Han didn't say anything. Leia nudged him.

"You awake?"

Han opened his eyes and feigned annoyance.

"I am now."

"Good morning."

"'Morning."

Leia yawned again, and this time Han couldn't stifle his sympathetic yawn. She giggled in response. Infected by that light laugh, Han smiled.

"Sleep well?"

"Mm-hmm. You?"

"Yeah."

"What time is it?"

"Does it matter?"

Leia's brow furrowed, and Han noted the number of lines—two at the tip of her eyebrows—marred her face.

"I guess not."

"We're kinda on a vacation."

"People and things are tried to kill us. I'm not sure if this could be considered a vacation."

"Today can be." A mischievous smile cracked his face. "Nothin' stoppin' us from spending the day in bed."

She bit her lip, and Han wished he could retracted his words.

"I guess you're right about that."

The tension in his forehead relaxed. "When was the last time you were able to spend the day in bed?"

Leia's eyes went far away, and Han remembered the fear they held last night. A twang of concern pinched his heart as he remembered that look in her eyes. Again, his desire to protect her—even from her dreams—overwhelmed him. Now, there was no fear in her eyes now, just a wistfulness.

Han absentmindedly picked up a lock of her hair again. "Spending the day in bed is a luxury."

She watched him twist her hair around his finger.

"That's one luxury I've never had the pleasure to enjoy."

"That's a shame."

When was the last time for you?"

"I think it was before I met you."

"So I've deprived you of a luxury," she purred.

"The best kind, too."

"Well, then I suppose I'm obliged to make it up to you and grant you this luxury today. It's the least I can do."

"It is."

He released the lock of hair he held and then picked up another, taking the time to study it.

"Your hair is beautiful. You should wear it down more often."

"There's too much. It'd get in the way when I'm working."

"Then maybe you should stop workin' so much."

Leia sighed. "I wish I could sometimes."

"No you don't."

She picked up a lock of her hair and wrapped it around her finger.

"I don't like the silence," she whispered.

"Silence?"

"When my mind isn't occupied. I don't want to think."

"Are you thinking now?"

"Now I am."

Han opened his mouth. Leia raised her eyes to him and smiled impishly. He smiled back. He watched her fingers work her hair before catching her hand. His smile faded as his thumb brushed over the scar he gave her.

"You saved my life. Again."

Han looked into her eyes. They danced with a swirl of admiration, openness, and…could it be? Love? Could she love him as much as he loved her?

"What would you do without me?"

Leia laced her fingers through his and rolled over, taking his hand with her and pulling him closer. She kept her fingers entangled in his and rested her arm on top of his.

"I don't know," she whispered.

Conflicting emotions plagued him. The touch of sorrow in her voice inspired guilt, but the lack of space between them—the fact that _she_ just wrapped his arm around herself—ignited giddiness.

 _I wish I could stay._ He held those words back. What good would they do either of them?

The bottom of her breasts pressed against his arm, but Leia didn't seem to notice. She rolled over a little more so that his hold on her tightened. Her heart beat quickened underneath his hand, and he struggled to calm his own. To control his respiration, Han forced it to fall into rhythm with hers. Her breathing was shallow at first and then relaxed into deep breaths. Han pressed his forehead against the back of her head and drifted into sleep surrounded by the scent of vinda blossoms.

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Han opened one eye when Leia stirred. From the position of the light pouring through the window, he surmised that they had been asleep for a few hours.

"So, you enjoyin' your day?"

"Mm-hmm."

"I'm glad."

They lay there for a while without speaking. Han consciously breathed in time with her as he committed the feel of her in his arms to his memory. He closed his eyes, noticing the cushion her hair provided between his forehead and her head. Her fingers no longer were entwined with his so he had the chance to spread his finders. He retained the softness of the spot underneath her breast that rested against his thumb; he counted her ribs. He took note of how she fit in the nook his body created, taking extra care to appreciate how her heat penetrated his bare skin and the skin beneath the thin material of his shorts.

Han opened his eyes and slid his arm from Leia's body. He placed his hand on her temple and combed his fingers through her hair. He repeated this action until he was certain that he'd never forget the how her hair felt to the touch. Then he slipped his hand underneath her hair and caressed the nape of her neck. Leia slowly inhaled, and Han's stomach flipped. His fingers extended out before he brushed her hair back and exposed her bare shoulder.

"Your muscles are tight."

"Maybe…maybe you should do something about it."

Leia lifted her body up a couple of inches from the bed, and pulled her shirt up over her head. Han swallowed as she exposed the pallid skin of her back. After she freed her head from the garment, she held it to her chest and lay back down on the bed.

"Maybe I should," Han croaked.

Han adjusted his position so that both arms were free. A shiver ran through Leia's body as he began massaging the base of her neck, and he reveled in her reaction. He moved his fingers out towards her shoulders and back in. He worked her muscles until they relaxed before moving down her spine. He reached her lower back, stopping at the top of her backside. He repeated the motions again and again. At first his touch was soft, but he deepened his motions as he grew more confident. Her muscles parleyed her strength, yet there was a malleability under his ministrations.

Han's fingers stopped their deep ministrations, and he smoothed her skin with one hand. He marveled at the lustrousness of her skin; she seemed to glow under his touch. Han slid his hand along the curve of her hip and down her thigh. Leia's chin curled into her chest. The tips of his fingers took over the job of his palm as he traced the shape of her body again; she shivered again. His fingers rose and dipped and rose again. He then moved over her side and explored her abdomen. Leia bit back a gasp and her stomach muscles contracted. She rolled to her back and let her hands lie next to her shoulders.

Han steadied his breath as he gazed into her eyes. There was a sense of fear in them, but also a tumultuous desire. His hazel eyes roved down her face, over the edge of her chin, and along the delicate skin of her neck. His eyes stopped at her chest. Her right breast peeked out of her hair that hung over her chest. Han propped himself up on his elbow and brushed her hair back. Leia's eyes closed. He followed the roundness of her breast with his finger, traveling around her areola. Han then cupped her breast and rubbed his thumb over her nipple. He then pushed the hair off her left breast.

Han looked at her face again. "You're beautiful."

Leia opened her eyes in slits before closing them again as Han continued his exploration. Starting at her collarbone, he slowly traced a line between her breasts and down the center of her abdomen. His finger then slid over the edge of her panties. Leia's back arched an inch off the bed, her knees pulled toward her body, and a moan escaped through her parted lips. Han's eyes fluttered closed before he opened them and peered back into her face.

Leia's lower lip was caught between her teeth, and her breathing was quietly erratic. Han ran his finger along panties again. This time his fingers continued around the edge of her hip and down her thigh. Leia's hips lifted slightly, and Han followed the elastic that hugged the area where her backside met her thigh. A chill shook her body. Han pressed his hand against her backside, memorizing its curve. He moved his hand over her hip, and Leia's hip dropped back onto the bed. Han glided his hand over the smooth material until his hand rested upon her lower abdomen; her knees came together. He dipped his hand between her thighs, and closed his eyes when Leia whisper-moaned again.

Han pulled his hand up her abdomen and moved to her hip. Leia opened her eyes as he leaned over her. Han lowered his face towards hers. So open and accepting her countenance was; so trusting. Her body trembled as he closed the distance between them.

He stopped. His conscience began a winning a battle against his desire.

"I can't stay," he whispered.

The openness of her expression clouded over, and fear tempered by disappointment filled her large brown eyes. She looked away.

"I know."

Leia pressed her lips together, slipped Han's shirt over her head, rolled over to her side, and hugged herself. Han dropped to his back, sighed, and put an arm over his forehead.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Han Solo watched Princess Leia Organa fix her hair in the refresher across from him as he tried to concentrate on his conversation with Chewbacca on his commlink.

"Huh? I mean 'no' not 'yes.'"

Chewie grumbled. Han's mouth opened as Leia smoothed her hair back and began to wrap a hairband around her it.

He looked at the commlink. "I am paying attention!"

Chewie wharrued. Han looked back at the princess. She pulled her hair out to the side to tighten the band and then ran her fingers through the tail she created. The curls bounced as she turned her head from side-to-side.

"Huh?"

The Wookie wharrued again.

"I've gotta go. I'll contact you later."

Han clicked off the commlink before Chewie had the chance to answer. He dropped his feet off the table and sat up.

"Why are you fixin' your hair?"

"Because it needed to be fixed."

Han's brow furrowed.

"Why?"

"Because…" Leia exited the refresher and walked over to her bag, "we're going out tonight."

He raised his eyebrows as he watched her wrap the belt around her hips and tie the holster to her upper thigh. Leia then pushed her blaster into the holster.

Han gulped. "No we're not."

"Then _I'm_ going out."

"We already went out."

"That was three nights ago, and that was to load the cargo."

"We went out, didn't we?"

Leia slipped her arms through her dark brown velvet vest, adjusted it over her military green shirt, and zipped it up. Han's eyes followed the line of her body until they stopped on her chest. The tight-fitting vest emphasized her breasts even more than the blue dress she wore when they made met with Fadera. Han always thought she wore those ill-fitting rebel uniforms—even though she wasn't ranked or considered a soldier—because she wanted the grunts to see her as one of them. However, if she wore outfits like the one she was wearing now, no one would get any work done.

"I'd like to see more of Ord Mantell than the docking bay and Sciloshin restaurant down stairs."

"We went to the market."

"Yea, that was _so_ exciting."

"I thought you'd like it."

"I've been to places like that on countless planets."

"There's nothin' worth seein' here."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"No, you won't."

"Yes. I. Will."

"I don't feel like going out."

"I do."

"You're not goin' alone. It's too dangerous to be wanderin' out there on your own."

She slammed her fists onto her hips. "I can take care of myself."

"All you're good at taking care of is findin' trouble."

"That's your specialty. In fact, it'll be safer if I go by myself."

"You are not leavin' this room by yourself, Your Worship."

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"You don't decide what I do or don't do, Nerfherder."

"On this trip I do. I'm the one responsible for keeping you safe, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. I was perfectly safe the first night we were here when we were chased by Goroborian's men."

"If I remember right, you're the one who attracted _that_ attention."

Leia started towards the door, but Han beat her to it. He leaned against it and crossed his right ankle over the left before crossing his arms over his chest.

She pursed her lips.

Han smiled smugly. "Nothin' to say about that?"

Leia mimicked his posture and raised an eyebrow. "If you remember right, I was the one to save our skins."

"And how do you see that?"

"That goon would've choked you to death if I hadn't stopped him."

His smug smile faded. "Oh, yeah? We wouldn't have even been in that situation if you didn't look like that!" He waved his hand at her to emphasize his point.

"Look like what?"

"You know! Like you do."

"What does that even mean?"

Han scratched the back of his head. "Never mind."

"No, tell me. What's wrong with the way I look?"

"Nothin'. That's the problem."

She furrowed her brow. Her mouth opened and closed, and Han sighed.

"If you only stayed in the booth and let me handle the negotiations with Fardera—"

"Your arrogant attitude would've only ruined things."

"Who's the arrogant one?"

"You! Your charm," she emphasized the word "charm" by making air quotes, "wouldn't have worked on her."

"And yours would?"

"I didn't need _charm_ to close that deal."

Han grimaced. "That deal had everything to with that royal charm of yours."

" _Royal charm?_ Charm has nothing to do with being an excellent negotiator."

Han shook his head. "You really don't have an idea of how you affect people."

"And what does that mean?"

"You're…when you're not being so bossy or irritating…you…you're very likeable."

Leia narrowed her eyes on him. "If you weren't so disagreeable and cocky then I wouldn't be irritating and _bossy_ and people would like me."

"Trust me. They like you."

Her cheeks blushed and her brow relaxed.

"Get out of my way."

"No. You're not leavin'."

"You can't stop me."

"Yes I can."

"What are you going to do. Tie me up? Lock me in? Stun me with your blaster?"

"If I have to."

Leia huffed, "Move!"

"No."

"This is my last warning."

Han held up his hands. "Oh, I'm so scared."

She clenched her teeth together, and her squeezed her hands into balls of fury.

"You're not getting' past me."

"Oh yea?"

"Yea."

The princess's face relaxed, and the anger in her eyes softened. Han's smug smile lifted the right side of his lips. She looked in to his eyes. She then stepped even closer to him. He found it hard to breathe.

"Your charms aren't gonna work on me, Princess."

Leia smiled up at him, so sweet and…what was that? Was it defeat? Something else? Han had never seen a smile like this on her face. He swallowed; no, he wasn't going to give in. She approached him so that there were mere inches between them. Han licked his lips, anticipating what was to come. She turned her head to the side. Even if she kissed him—a cheap play on her part, in his opinion—he wouldn't surrender his resolve. He'd stay strong. For possibly the first time, he wasn't going to let her get her way. He crossed his arms over his chest, and his smug smile grew smugger.

Leia reached out; her arm brushed against his. She began to wrap it around him…

She hit the controls of the door. The door slid open, and Han fell onto his back. Leia mimicked the smug smile he wore before and stepped over him.

"Leia!"

"Don't wait up for me!"

Han closed his mouth, lifted his torso onto his elbows, and watch her hips sway as she walked down the hallway. His face broke out into a lop-sided grin.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Once Han collected his wits and dressed, he set about looking for Leia. She had a good ten-to-twenty-minute head start, and she could've been anywhere. Han wandered the bright streets, entering some establishments. They were smoky, crowded, interchangeable, and Leia-free. He huffed each time he found that she wasn't there and continued down the street. He reached a corner and stopped. Would she have gone straight or turn? He glanced down the street to the right before looking to the left. An old-fashioned neon sign blinked with the words Sabaac under the name "Constance's Casino". Han smiled and turned down the corner.

He sauntered into the casino, stood akimbo, and scanned the crowd. A haze in the air dimmed the light, and its patrons crowded around tables and loitered at the bar which stuck out like an island in a room of exotic beings. Han's hazel eyes stopped on a girl with a brown pony tail facing away from him. He walked deeper into the establishment, headed over to the bar, picked a spot nearest the table where the girl sat, and ordered a Corellian ale. From his vantage point, he could see the expressions of most of them beings' faces and Leia's profile. She held her cards near her face just as she always did when he and she played together.

Han pressed his lips together as he saw the nine shot glasses sitting in front of her. This could be bad. Her fellow players were employing the get-'em-drunk-and-clean-'em-out strategy. Little did they know that Leia's skills increased in proportion to the amount she drank. It was as if she could read not only the cards of her opponents but their minds as well. She did that with Han when he tried that strategy on her; he ended up owing her—or rather, the rebellion—a few favors. Last time he played for favors, and the last time he tried to get her drunk.

The bartender placed the ale next to Han, and Han threw a few credits onto the bar before turning in Leia's direction. From the pile of credits in front of her, Han inferred that she was quite intoxicated. He shook his head and took another sip. Leia's hooded eyes scanned her cards. She grabbed a handful of credits from the carefully-organized pile—five carefully organized stacks—and tossed them onto the center of the table. The man to her right mimicked her actions. Han watched the rest of the players dole out their bets, raise, and call.

The smuggler tipped the bottle back as he watched Leia. She bit her lip, passed several cards to her left, and picked up those passed to her. She arranged them in her hand before looking up. There was that innocent, naïve look in those large brown eyes; that look was always Han's downfall. Another round of bets, raises, and calls took place before the players spread their cards out in front of them. Leia smiled as she collected her winnings. The Twi'lik next to Leia wasn't smiling as he stared at her. Han's jaw clenched.

When no trouble transpired, Solo relaxed and tried to enjoy his ale. The players played another round, and Leia won again. That was another problem of hers; she always took hand after hand once she was intoxicated. She had no sense to lose every now and then. Han rubbed his chin and held his breath. Leia collected her winnings and carefully arranged them into five more piles. The Twi'lik bared his teeth.

He opened his mouth, but Leia cut him off.

"I'm not a cheat!"

"Sure, looks that way from where I'm sitting."

"Yeah," the Vorline across from her chimed in. "The odds of you winnin' that many hands in a row are astronomical."

"I can't help it if you're skills at Sabaac lack. In fact," Leia said, "I'm getting quite bored of winnin'."

"Are you questionin' my abilities?"

"San's the best player on this planet, Missy," the Wislan next to her said.

"That's not saying much!"

"That's it!"

The Twi'lik stood up, knocked against the table, and caused Leia's stacks of credits to fall. Leia simultaneously slammed her hands on the table and rose to her feet. Han rolled his eyes, put down his ale, and stalked over to the table.

He took Leia's arm. "Ok, your done here."

"So, you have a partner!"

Leia tried to shake off Han's hand. "He's not my partner and," she asserted before turning her fiery eyes on the smuggler, "I'm not finished here."

"Yes, you are. We'll be on our way."

"He insulted my honor!"

Leia brandished her blaster; the bar fell silent as everyone drew their blasters and pointed them at Han. Han put his hand up but refused to release Leia.

"We don't want any trouble…"

No one lowered their weapons. Han wiggled his fingers and then placed his hand on the barrel of Leia's blaster. He curled his fingers around it, and took it from her hand. "See? No trouble." He reached around Leia's hips and returned her weapon to her holster.

"Why don't we just go on our way."

The princess narrowed her large brown eyes at the Twi'lik and started to reach for her winnings. Han grabbed her wrist.

"Why don't you keep 'er winnings."

Leia's brow furrowed and her mouth opened. Han clamped a hand over it and backed her out of the establishment. Once they reached the outside, Leia pulled his hand off her mouth and shook herself out of his hold. She stumbled back, and Han caught her arm before she tumbled to the ground.

"All right, Your Worshipfulness. Time for bed."

"Nuh-uh. I'm having too much fun."

"Having a room full of blasters pointed at you is fun?"

"He insulted my honor! I don't cheat!"

"I know you don't, but when you win as often as you do, it looks suspicious."

"What should I do, throw a hand now and then?"

"That wouldn't hurt."

Leia huffed. " _That's_ cheating!"

"I don't see your logic."

"Throwing a hand is like cheating to win! That would be dishonest!"

"It's Sabaac. Dishonesty is part of the game."

"Would you throw a hand?"

"Well, no."

"But I should. Is it because I'm a princess? Or a woman?" Leia air-quoted her words.

"Neither. It's because the more you drink the worse you should play. You tend to get better when you're drunk. Looks suspicious."

"I can't help that."

Han shook his head, and laughed. However, his merriment ceased when she started to walk away with unsteady steps.

"Where you goin'?" Han caught her arm again, pulling her to a sudden stop.

"I'm goin' to go have more fun."

"You've had enough fun for tonight."

"And who are you to decide that?"

"You're in no condition for any more fun."

"Yes, I am. I want to go dancing."

"You remember what happened the last time we went dancing?"

Han started to lead her back to the hotel, but she dug her heels into the ground and leaned back.

"Leia. I'm losin' my patience."

She refused to move.

"I'll throw you over my shoulder if I have to."

She narrowed her eyes on him. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

Han expected her to give in. Usually when he threatened physical contact she relented, but this time she held her ground.

"That's it!"

Leia yelped as Han pulled her to him, wrapped his arms around her legs and hefted her over his shoulder.

"Put me down, you goriam mynock!"

Leia wiggled and kicked her feet. Han readjusted her weight and carried her through the streets of Ord Mantell.


	19. Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19:

Han unlocked the door and carried Leia inside. She had stopped struggling three-fourths of the way back to the hotel, making the last leg of the trip easier. Had she passed out, or given in to his will? Han suspected the former; Leia never gave up a fight, especially when she was fighting with him. However, when he crossed the threshold, she propped her torso up by pushing her hands against his back.

"Are we there yet?"

"Yeah."

Han dropped the key onto the table next to the door and slid her off his shoulder. She staggered.

"Whoa, Princess."

Han guided her to her bed and sat her down. She plopped backwards on the bed. He knelt in front of her, lifted her foot, and placed it on his knee. He unzipped the inside of her boot, wiggled it off her foot, and removed her sock. He discarded the sock and boot next to him and repeated the action with her other foot. Solo looked at her face. Leia's eyes were closed, and a small smile played on her lips. He shook his head before reaching out and untying the holster from her thigh. He then undid the buckle of her belt.

"Up."

He patted her hip and she arched her back. Han slid the holster out from under her and placed it on the bed next to her. Han rose to his feet and stood akimbo as he contemplated what to do. Should he put her to bed in her clothes, or dress her in her pajamas?

Maybe he'd just remove her pants. Han knelt in front of Leia again and pressed his lips together. He undid the button and then unzipped her pants. Leia lifted her hips off the bed, and Han slid her pants down her legs before dropping them to the floor. He sat back on his haunches and scratched his head. That vest didn't look too comfortable. Han leaned over her and grabbed the zipper tag. His hand brushed against the curve of her chest. He froze, waiting for her to react. When she didn't move, he continued unzipping the vest. He then lifted her arm and maneuvered it through the armhole. He did the same with her other arm. He slipped the vest out from underneath her.

Han rose to his feet again. He frowned. Her button-down shirt also looked like it wouldn't be comfortable to sleep in. He retrieved the shirt he lent her, knelt between her legs, and took her upper arms.

"Come on, sit up."

He helped her into a seated position.

"Lift your arms."

Leia did what she was told, and Han pulled the shirt over her head. She grabbed her ponytail and pulled on the hairband. As she yanked on it, it caught in her hair and she grunted as she tried to force it free with one hand. Han pushed her hand away.

"You're making a mess. Let me help you."

Leia bent her head down, and Han pressed his elbows against the sides of her shoulders to hold her steady. His brow furrowed as he worked to undo the mess she had made. It took almost five minutes for him to remove it. He handed it to Leia, and she slipped the band over her wrist.

"I'm going to take off your bra now."

She nodded. Han let her head fall onto his shoulder as he reached around her back and worked on the clasp. Leia then wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you," she whispered.

Han froze and his heart skipped a beat. Did he hear her right? He couldn't have.

"What?"

"I. Love. You."

The volume and force of Leia's breath puffed against his neck, sending a chill through his body.

"Like Luke," he stated.

"No."

Han's fingers trembled as they worked on the clasp of her bra. His heart pounded in his throat. Could she really feel the same way as he did? She was drunk; she couldn't know what she was saying, could she? Han was afraid to believe it. There was always a thick layer of sexual tension between them; that could be the only reason she argued with him all the time. However, her loving him…not in his wildest dreams did he think she could love him. Or that she'd ever admit it even if she was drunk. Could it be true? Could someone like her, so idealistic and focused and…and wonderful, love _him_?

Why not? They had gotten to know each other well over the last three years; Leia had even shown him the shadows of her inner-workings now and then when no one was around. And Han let his did the same with her every now and then when no one was around. They had gone through many trials: missions, battles with Stormtroopers, diplomatic missions where he served as her pilot and self-appointed bodyguard. They had only known each other for three years, but they were intense years that forged a deep bond that would take a million Death Stars to severe. She _could_ love him; Leia _did_ love him. He couldn't contain his smile.

The clasp came free, and Han eased the straps up her arms. Leia sat up, released his neck, and allowed him to guide the bra the rest of the way off her body. Han picked up the shirt he lent her, slipped her arms through the armholes, and pulled it over her head until her head popped out of the neck of the collar. He adjusted it over her body, helped her pull her hair out of the shirt, and stood up.

Han took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Time for bed."

He led Leia to the side of the bed, pulled back the blankets, and guided her under them. Han then adjusted the pillow beneath her head. He covered her, bent over, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Please dreams and stranger things."

Leia didn't respond. Han gazed at her with a ridiculous smile on his face. Then his smile faded. He wasn't going to be around long enough for her to love him, and he knew that's why she held her emotions back. However, there was a war going on, and who knew how long either one of them would be alive? Maybe he could convince her to live in the moment, and take what pleasure (and love) she could get in that moment.

Han adjusted Leia's covers and climbed into his bed. He lay on his back staring at the ceiling as he replayed her words in his head.

 _I love you._

Would she remember in the morning? Han closed his eyes. The bed creaked and bounced. He opened his eyes to find Leia kneeling next to him. She lifted his arm and nestled between his arm and side. She laid her head on his chest, curled her fingers in his chest hair, and closed her eyes.

"What am I going to do with you?" he asked.

"I don't know." Leia yawned. "What are you going to do with me?"

Han chuckled then placed a kiss on top of her head. He listened to her respiration and soaked in the warmth of her body. If only they could stay like this for the rest of their lives. Han closed his eyes. Soon sleep took over, and he drifted into dreams of Leia.


	20. Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20:

The hairs on the back of Han's neck stood up, and he opened his eyes. Leia was sitting up next to him looking over her shoulder. The light that seeped out of the cracked door of the refresher didn't chase away the deep shadows that lurked in the far corner.

"Leia?"

He placed a hand on her arm. Goosebumps covered her skin and her body trembled. Han squinted in the direction she was looking but saw nothing.

"You're cold. Get under the covers."

She didn't move.

"Leia?"

"He's here," she whispered, her voice meek, panicked.

Han propped himself up on his elbow.

"Who's here?"

She turned her head and looked at him. No, she wasn't looking at him; she was looking _through_ him. Her large brown eyes were wide with fear, and a tear slipped from the corner of her right eye.

"I can't keep you safe."

"What?"

He waved his hand in front of her face. Leia didn't react. Han gave her a small shake. "Leia, wake up."

She blinked and looked around the room.

"You were dreaming."

Han wiped away her tear with his thumb. She swallowed hard and looked over her shoulder again. Han turned on the light.

"See? No one's here but us."

Her eyes searched the rest of the room before they settled on Han.

"It was just a dream. You're safe here. Come'n. Go back to sleep."

He pulled her arm and guided her down onto the bed. He wrapped his arms tight around her and brought her close to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and pressed herself into his embrace. Han released her for a moment to pull the covers over them. Then he smoothed her hair hoping to soothe the trembling of her body.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Han didn't expect her to answer. He felt helpless.

"Vader…" she started.

Han held his breath, waiting for her to continue. Just when he thought that was all she was going to say, she continued.

"We were here…but not here. It was dark, but…orange clouds…there was no ceiling…just orange clouds…Vader," she swallowed, "You were there. And Luke. Vader tried to kill Luke with his lightsaber. I stopped him. I used Luke's lightsaber…I cut Vader in half. Then Luke disappeared.

"Then Vader, he was whole again and he…he was torturing you. I put myself between you and him, but he…he moved right through me. Every time I stepped in front of him…It was as if I wasn't there. I couldn't stop him."

Han placed a kiss on the crown of her head. She looked up at him.

"You were begging me…I stopped him from hurting Luke…but I couldn't stop him from hurting you. I... I let you down."

"You could never let me down."

Leia didn't say anything for a moment. Her fingers tightened around the hair on his chest. "He was here. I could feel him…"

"It's just you and me here, Sweetheart. He can't hurt you. I won't let him."

"He wasn't hurting me," she whispered. "He was hurting you."

"It was just a terrible nightmare. He can't hurt either of us."

"It felt like more of a premonition than a dream."

A chill ran down Han's spine. "You're picking that up from Luke. Dreams are _not_ premonitions."

"But Vader— "

"The galaxy is huge. What are the odds that we cross paths with him?"

Leia said nothing. She had first knowledge of what pain Vader could inflict, and any reassurance from Han was pointless. His desire to keep her safe increased tenfold and caused his chest to tighten. While he believed the odds of them confronting Vader were less than slim, Han _had_ to prevent that monster from hurting her again. However, he had to stick around to protect her. How could he leave her?

"I'll leave the light on. Try to get some sleep." Han kissed her forehead, and she closed her eyes. He rested his head against hers.

Leia swiped at her eye, sniffed, and settled in. She still trembled but not as obvious as before. Han stared at the ceiling and concentrated on the sound of her respiration. Her uneven breath eventually fell in-sync with his before it found its own rhythm. He pulled her even closer to him as if he could protect her from her nightmares by physically shielding her from the night. Her suffering plucked at the fibers of his heart, and anger grumbled in his gut. Leia never told Han what Darth Vader did to her on the Death Star before he and Luke rescued her, but that didn't discourage his imagination. He suspected that the worse he imagined wasn't nearly as bad as what she went through.

And Leia's experience on the Death Star hadn't ended with her rescue. Nightmares plagued Leia since he knew her, and Han was aware that she had many sleepless nights. She came to him looking for sleeping aids to avoid anyone knowing about her nightmare-induced insomnia. She didn't even want Luke to know. Leia didn't have to ask Han for the pills most of the time; the remnants of fear in her tired eyes was enough to tip off Han. When she came looking for him on the _Millennium Falcon_ late in the night or early morning, he retrieved the pills from the medical bay and slipped them into her hand. She'd offer him a sad closed-mouth smile and leave without a word. He made it a point to stay up late just in case she needed his help. Han suspected that the sleeping aids didn't help much; she was often up and about when daylight broke, but it was the only way he knew how to help her.

If only he could take away her pain. Leia was so young when she endured Vader's torture, when she lost her world and those she loved. Han wondered what she was like before she endured. Was she relaxed? Did she smile more often? Laugh with abandon like she did the first night they were here on Ord Mantell? Did she have someone special who she was not afraid to love? Was she carefree?

Was Leia ever carefree?

Han suspected Leia never had that luxury. Being a senator and leader of the rebellion in her teens didn't leave much time for fun. He knew the heavy weight that pressed down on her shoulders as she worked to live up to her father's expectations. Han didn't know what that was like; no one ever expected much of him. Not even Leia.

Han stared at the ceiling. No, Leia had expectations of him. She expected him to let her down. She expected him to break her heart. And he was on his way to living up to those expectations.

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Solo lay next to Leia and listened to the gentle snore escaping through her parted lips. A string of drool slipped out of the side her mouth. He smiled; the always-put-together princess snores and drools. Han yawned, carefully extracted his arm from underneath her, and rubbed the sleep out of his tingling arm. Yes, he could get used to waking up next to her. No, he was already used to it. A pinch of disappointment snapped his heart. This time that he had been spending her—despite the circumstances that brought them here—was fleeting. Things would probably go back to normal between them once they were back on the base.

Han got up, grabbed his clothes, and went to the refresher. At least the threat she faced back on the base was resolved. His blood boiled; the assassin had been caught, and Han dreaded the moment when Leia found out who it was. He couldn't bring himself to tell her, not yet; she seemed happy in the moment. She'd be devastated when she found out the truth.

Han looked at himself in the mirror. How would Leia feel when she found out and he wasn't the one to tell her? There was no doubt she'd be upset with him. Would she hate him? Feel betrayed? Omitting the truth was just as bad as a lie. Han _had_ to tell her. However, Leia hadn't asked about the assassin, not even about the process being made of catching him. She hadn't even mentioned the rebellion in the last two days. Maybe Han had succeeded in providing her with the vacation she deserved.

Han had kept his conversation with Chewbacca a secret, always contacting him when she was in the refresher or when he was out procuring them meals. Did she suspect Han knew more about the assassin than he let on? She would've asked by now if she did. No, maybe she just trusted him to tell her. She would hate him for not being more forthcoming with the information he had.

However, Leia loved him; would his lie of omission be forgiven? Would she understand why he didn't tell her?

Han finished his morning routine and pulled on his boots. He walked over to the side of the bed where Leia lay. She slept on her back with one hand curled next to her head. Her chest rose and fell with even breaths. Han took his fore- and middle finger and brushed the locks of hair that covered her face. He sighed. Although dark circles under her eyes marred her pallid skin—a sure sign of a sleep debt—she still looked beautiful to him. Her peaceful expression chased away his thoughts about the assassin. Leia's cheeks had lost the baby fat, revealing her cheekbones that enhanced her maturing face. Did he miss the baby-fat swollen cheeks?

Somewhat. While she remained idealistic and determined, Leia's naive optimism seemed to melt away with her baby-fat. Han wasn't sure if he mourned her starry-eyed credulity, he appreciated the confidence that she could change the galaxy. She had not lost that belief, and while it made her single-minded and unavailable for "frivolous" things, it was one of the reasons he loved her. She inspired him to look for the positive in his life; that was something he never did. His life seemed bleak and hopeless before her. He saw himself doing the same thing—smuggling and running from bounty hunters—for the rest of his life. Leia made him contemplate the possibility that he could find something (maybe someone) to believe in. Their arguments and rounds-of-wills were changing him for the better.

Han rose, walked to the kitchenette, and poured a glass of water. He then pulled the chair next to the bed and propped his feet up on it. He sipped the water as he waited for Leia to wake. He didn't have to wait long. She stirred before she arched her back, stretched her arms over her head, and wiggled her toes. She opened her eyes, and when she saw him, she smiled.

"Good morning, sleepy head," he said.

Leia yawned. "What time is it?"

"Does it matter?"

"We have to deliver the cargo to Earos."

"Later."

Han held out the glass of water to her. Leia sat up and took it from him. She drank several gulps before handing the glass back. Han finished off the water and gazed at her with a lop-sided smile.

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

His smile widened.

"You drool in your sleep."

"I do not," she asserted but felt the pillow. She pursed her lips. "Okay, maybe I do, but you…you…"

"What?"

"Snore. You kept me up half the night."

"You were dead in your sleep, Your Worship."

She huffed and rolled her eyes. Then she folded her arms across her chest.

"So what?"

Han shrugged.

"Did you have fun last night?"

"Yes. You?"

"I wouldn't call that fun, Your Worship."

"You're the one who seeks out trouble."

"You're mistaking me for you."

"Who interrupted a pretty good game of Sabaac?"

"I saved you from the inevitable end of that game. You need to learn how to lose."

"I guess I should take lessons from you."

Han gazed at her unfazed by her words.

"Why are you still wearing that stupid grin?"

"You love me."

"What?"

"You. Love. Me."

"And why do you say that?"

"You told me last night."

Leia's cheeks pinkened and her eyes widened and retracted as memories of the night before replayed in her mind.

"I did not."

Han smiled wider. "Yes, you did. You said, 'I. Love. You.' Twice even."

"I meant— "

"And not like Luke."

Her pink cheeks reddened.

"You can't tell me you don't remember."

"You misheard me. I said, 'I don't love you.'"

"No, you didn't."

Leia opened and closed her mouth and huffed. "I was drunk. I'm sure I said many meaningless things."

Han raised an eyebrow. "You told me twice." He held up two fingers. "If it meant nothing, you wouldn't have said it twice _and_ with the emphasis you did."

"I was drunk—I"

"Your inhibitions were lowered."

"I—I…"

Han crossed his arms over his chest. "Admit it. You love me."

"Your delusional."

"You're just afraid to admit it because I'm leavin'."

Leia's face fell, and Han regretted reminding her.

"Life is short, Princess. You need to give in to what you want."

"Who says I want you?"

"You did. Admit it."

"There's nothing to admit."

"Admit it."

"Never."

Han put his hands behind his head and tipped his chair back so that it stood on two legs.

"One day you will."

"Don't be so sure of that."

"You will."

Leia narrowed her eyes on him, rose out of bed, and walked over to him. She lifted her foot and pushed it his knee. Han's arms flailed as he tried to prevent himself from falling. To no avail. He found himself lying on his back with his legs in the air. Leia stood over him, smiled wickedly, and disappeared into the refresher.

Han smiled to himself and spoke to no one. "She definitely loves me."


	21. Chapter 21

CHAPTER 21:

Han Solo tossed his and Leia's bags in the trunk of the speeder and then held the door open for Leia.

She raised an eyebrow. "I'll drive."

She walked to the driver's side. Han scuttled after her.

"No, you're not."

Leia opened the door, and started to climb in. Han grabbed her around the waist, picked her up, and spun her around. He dropped her onto her feet and began to climb into the speeder. Leia jumped on his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Han stumbled back. Just as he was about to fall backwards, Leia plopped to the ground and made a bee-line for the open door.

Han recovered his footing and grabbed Leia's belt, jerking back.

"Oh!"

Han smiled impishly as Leia struggled to free herself. He pulled her towards him until he got a hold of her waist. He then wrapped his arms around her, pinning her to his body. He turned around and backed himself into the open door of the speeder. He let her go the moment he sat himself behind the steering wheel. Leia huffed and stamped her foot.

"You can drive on the way back," Han flashed her his famous lop-sided grin. "Oh, yeah. This is a one-way trip. Next time."

Leia's eyes widened and then narrowed on him. She pressed her lips together before she walked to the passenger side and climbed in. Han tried to bite back his amusement, but it proved to be an impossible job. After he pulled out into traffic, he kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. He chewed the inside of his cheek to prevent himself from laughing at the pouting princess next to him.

"When can we return to Home One?"

Han shrugged. "I thought you were enjoyin' my company."

"I a—" she crossed her arms and looked out the window. "You haven't been nearly as irritating as I thought you'd be."

"I do have my charms," he winked at her.

Leia looked at him and snorted. Han laughed as well. Leia then became quiet as she stared out of the passenger's window. Han tried to focus on driving, but the way the bright neon lights lit Leia's face made that task difficult. He programmed the address of the docking bay into the speeder and put it on autopilot. Afraid she'd get annoyed if he looked at her, he stole side-glances. Lost in her own world, she didn't notice.

Han's brow furrowed. Should he interrupt her thoughts? Leave her be? Her large brown eyes harbored a sadness, and Han couldn't help but try to draw her out of her own mind.

"You okay?"

Leia looked at him and offered him a closed-mouth smile. "Sure."

Should he push it? "You don't seem okay."

She shrugged and stared out the windshield.

He bit his lip then pulled a lop-sided grin again. "You're just bummed cos our time together is over."

She turned her head towards him, and he winked. He was delighted when she smiled back, even though it was a small one. He would take what he can get. She then looked at her hands that were knotted together.

"You _are_ bummed about leaving Ord Mantell."

"I…I had a good time," she said. "Why do I feel so guilty?"

"You needed that break."

"You might recall, there's a war going on."

"It goes on whether you're in the middle of it or not."

"Beings were dying for the Alliance when I was having a good time."

"Leia, life is short—especially in the middle of a war. You need to learn to have fun."

"I know how to have fun."

"You know how to have fun? When was the last time you had fun before this trip?"

Leia bit her lip.

"Taking a break now and then is important for your health."

She was quiet for a moment before shrugging again. Han glanced down at her entwined fingers, so small and delicate. He fought the urge to take her hand. He worried about her as much as he worried about Chewie—maybe more than Chewie. Han feared that Leia would herself to death, or worse: forget what was truly important in life. While both of their occupations—hers as a leader of the Rebellion, and his as a smuggler—weren't good for their lives, she lived in the future, and he lived in the present. Han wanted nothing more for her than to teach her how to live in the present, to appreciate the moments of joy in her life.

And maybe Han needed to think about the future more. Was he going to be a smuggler the rest of his life? He had no ambitions beyond making money to pay off Jabba the Hutt and to survive day-to-day. The longer he stayed in the game, the shorter his life would be. What would he do if he weren't smuggling?

Maybe Leia could teach him something about looking to the future.

Leia was good for him, just as he was good for her. He admired her dedication towards her dreams, however impossible they seemed to him. Her fervor made him wish that he had something as important to him. Han inhaled; something was important, and she was sitting next to him.

And he planned to leave her. If he didn't pay off Jabba, he would spend the rest of his life (or Jabba's, but Han didn't foresee Jabba dying any time soon) running from the Hutt's bounty hunters. However, if he left the Alliance, he took a chance of losing Leia either to the fluidity of locations of the rebel bases or to death. His heart slipped to his feet at the thought of her not in his life. Paying Jabba off and looking for her after would be his smartest move. Maybe she'd stay in one spot long enough for Han to fulfill his debt and return. Maybe she'd give him a way to find her if she was transferred to another base. There had to be a way to find her…

How much of a future did Han really have? Jabba wouldn't let Han off the hook even if Han paid him double what he owed him. The odds of Jabba letting him live were next to nil; he had taken too long—three years longer than he promised the Hutt his money—to square off his debt. The gangster would have to use Han as an example.

"I've taken a long enough break." Leia interrupted his thoughts. "I need to get back. We don't know how long we'll be on Eros."

Han pressed his lips together.

"We don't need to stay on Eros," she said.

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to." She frowned. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want reality ruin your vacation."

"Vacation?" Her voice rose in volume and pitch. "We're here because someone tried to kill me!"

"You just said you had fun."

"Unlike you, _I_ have responsibilities."

"I have responsibilities," Han argued.

"Oh yeah? Name one."

"Keepin' you safe."

Leia opened her mouth then closed it. "Yeah, well, I can take care of myself."

"Right. You don't need anyone."

"I never said that."

"You're afraid of takin' a chance on people."

She crossed her arms over her chest and looked out the passenger window. "I take chances on people. I took a chance on you."

Han looked at her. "A half-hearted chance."

She didn't say anything, and Han felt bad for saying that. She did take a chance on him; she loved him. And the reason she restrained herself was because he planned to leave. Han never wanted to be caught up in the rebellion. It was a losing cause. However, he wasn't sticking around because he believed that they would win.

"So, who tried to kill me?"

Han turned his attention to the view outside of the windshield and switched the controls from autopilot to manual. "I didn't ask."

She whipped her head around and lowered her brow. "You didn't ask."

"You'll find out soon enough when we get back to the base."

"You're not going to tell me?"

"Look, we have a job to do here. Can we focus on that?"

"Why won't you tell me?"

"Chewie told me not to tell you," Han lied.

Leia huffed. "Why?"

"I dunno. Can't we just drop it?"

"No."

Han turned the speeder around the corner. "You know, I was thinkin' of stickin' with the Alliance permanently."

She relaxed her arms and turned her torso towards him. He felt her large brown eyes scrutinize him as she waited for an explanation.

"I'm thinkin' it's not a bad gig. You know?"

"It's been steady work."

"Yeah. And," he shrugged, "it's a good place to hide from Jabba's thugs."

Leia nodded. "It is."

"Maybe…I dunno. Maybe I could do some good."

"You've been an asset to the Alliance."

Han frowned before recovering his optimistic expression. "I'm gonna stay."

Leia looked down and nodded. Han caught her smile as she settled in her seat and looked out the passenger window.

"Looks like we're here."

Han steered the speeder into the docking bay. He stopped at the security booth and handed the guard his flimsies and 250 credits.

The guard studied the flimsies. "There seems to be a problem."

"Oh yeah?" Han removed another 200 credits from his pocket. He handed it to the guard. "Does this clear up the problem?"

"Almost."

Han looked at Leia. She pulled out the credits from her pocket. "This is all I have since you didn't let me keep my winnings."

"You were able to keep your head."

"Here." She shoved the credits into his hand.

Han counted them: 115 credits. He then gave them to the guard. The guard scanned the flimsies again and gave them back to Han. "Looks like everything's in order."

"Thanks. Can we be on our way now?"

"Just so you know; the Imps have been monitoring the docking bay. They've been hasslin' customers and randomly checking cargo."

Han and Leia exchanged looks. Han then nodded to the guard. "Thanks for the warning."

"Happy skies," the guard saluted and deactivated the guard rail.

Han drove the speeder through the narrow driveway and into the open hangar.

Leia surveyed the area. "I don't see any Stormtroopers. No sign of any Imperials either."

"Good. The faster we get outa here, the better."

"I can't argue with that."

Han pulled the speeder next to their ship. They exited the speeder. Leia walked over to the driver's side. She placed a hand on Han's arm. "I'll load the speeder and make sure the cargo is secure."

"I'll get the ship ready for take-off."

Han wore a silly grin and stood akimbo as he watched Leia climb into the speeder. The cargo ramp was located on the other side of the ship, and he followed the vehicle with his eyes until she maneuvered it out of sight. Han felt light and giddy, and his stomach felt as if it was floating. Leia was happy—he made her happy—because he decided to stay, and she wanted him to stay because she loved him. If only he could get her to admit it. They were moving in the right direction, though. It would take some time—he was sure of that—but he knew one day she would admit it. Although he wasn't usually a patient man, she would be worth the wait. Now that he was staying with the Alliance, he had all the time in the galaxy to love her.

"Solo!"


	22. Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22:

Han drew his blaster and whipped around. He found himself face-to-face with the Fivoca bounty hunter, Vilogo. He was a second-tier bounty hunter but moving up fast in the business. If he captured Han, he would be considered on the level of the fearsome Boba Fett. Han couldn't let that happen.

"Vilogo. Still chasin' Boba Fett's tail?"

"Once I turn you over to Jabba, Fett will be chasing mine."

"Well, you gotta catch me first."

"Looks like I already have."

"You're takin' your life in your hands," Han threatened.

Vilogo laughed. "You're the one with a blaster pointed at you."

"You gonna kill me? Jabba wants me alive."

"I don't plan on killing you."

"And I don't plan on goin' with you."

"We'll see about that."

Vilogo squeezed the trigger of his blaster before Han could shoot. However, the Fivoca's aim was uncharacteristically off. Han fired his blaster as he dove to the left. Vilogo's shot grazed Han's right arm, and he dropped his blaster. His arm tingled and his head fogged up. Vilogo wasn't trying to kill Han but stun him. If the bolt hit Solo square in the arm, he would've been out. Han shook his head and tried to focus his eyes on his enemy.

The Fivoca's blaster lay on the ground. He stumbled and swayed, and his green fur rippled as he batted as something behind him. Not something; someone.

"Leia!"

The princess's arms were wrapped around Vilogo's neck, and her legs straddled his chest. She bared her teeth as she squeezed his neck as hard as she could. Han stood up, but as he stepped on his right leg, it buckled beneath him. He muttered a Alderaanian curse. Pins and needles assaulted his leg and traveled up through his arm. He tried to stand again, but to no avail; he fell to the ground. Han crawled towards his blaster.

Vilogo's neck was as thick as Leia's body, and it took her both arms to choke him. Vilogo wheezed, and his dark hairless face turned a pale green. He had backed himself up to the wall next to the ship and slammed his body against it over and over. Leia grunted every time her back hit the wall, but she didn't let go. Vilogo clawed at her arms with his talons, drawing blood. He pulled forward and then threw himself at the wall as hard as he could one more time. Leia's head bounced against the wall, leaving a bloody spot where she hit. The force of the blow took her breath. She let go of Vilogo and slid to the ground. The Fivoca didn't give her a chance to recover. He pulled back his leg and kicked in her side. She doubled over as he continued to kick her.

Han reached his blaster and picked it up. However, his right arm hadn't recovered enough feeling, and his usually-steady aim shook. He grimaced as he tried to pull the trigger, but he didn't have enough control of his fingers. Han transferred his blaster to his left hand, aimed as well as he could, and fired.

The bolt grazed Vilogo's shoulder. He grabbed the spot shoulder and cried out before turning towards Han and bearing his sharp teeth. The Fivoca then reached down, clutched Leia's hair, and dragged her towards Han. She held her hair to lessen the pain. As she slid across the floor, she snatched Vilogo's discarded blaster with one hand and tucked it into her belt. When they were just a couple of feet from Han, Vilogo pulled her to her feet by the hair and used her body as a shield.

"I'm sure Jabba would find her valuable."

"She has nothin' to do with this."

"She does now."

Han held out his blaster. "I'll go with you, just don't hurt her."

"Care to drop your blaster?"

Han opened his hand and the blaster clattered against the ground.

"If you think I'm going to let you take Han, you're gravely mistaken," Leia said.

Vilogo jerked her hair, forcing Leia to lift her chin. The Fivoca laughed, and Leia cringed.

"A lot of fire in this one. Tell me, little one, what are you going to do about it?"

The princess growled. She twisted around, pulled the blaster from her belt, and aimed it at Vilogo's abdomen. The Fivoca caught her hand and forced her to point it at her stomach. He shoved his finger over her trigger finger and started to squeeze. Before he could get a shot off, Vilogo fell to the ground, pulling Leia with him.

Han picked up his blaster and looked up at their defender. He grimaced as he saw an Imperial officer flanked by five Stormtroopers. He pointed his weapon at the officer. Leia lifted her head and narrowed her eyes.

"Hemit," she breathed.

Han glanced down and saw her tuck her blaster into her belt behind her back.

"Princess Leia Organa," the Imperial officer said as if her name was the most vulgar thing he ever had in his mouth. "This is the last place I expected to find you. But this is a world of criminals, so I'm sure you fit in. "You even keep the company of criminals.

"It's finally good to meet you, Han Solo," Hemit sneered. "I've heard much about you."

"Funny, I never heard of you."

Hemit smirked. "I must say that I'm surprised that you joined the rebellion. From what I heard, your loyalty lies in yourself."

"Han has nothing to do with the Alliance," Leia said. "I hired him to be my pilot. That's all."

"Then he picked the wrong job. Your Highness, you're a criminal and a traitor. He should've known better than associate with a known traitor."

"It is you who is a traitor, a traitor to Alderaan."

"I believe that the destruction of Alderaan lies on your shoulders."

She swallowed but kept her shoulders straight. "You turned your back on your own home the moment you joined the Empire."

"Weren't you a member of the Imperial Senate?"

"I fought for the rights of the beings in the galaxy."

"Yes, while you secretly served the Rebellion. You put our planet in danger."

Leia opened her mouth then closed it. Han glanced frowned when he saw Leia's face. While her expression remained neutral, her eyes revealed her guilt.

"You know it to be true," Hemit taunted.

"Alderaan was always in danger. It was the center of the galaxy. The Empire needed to make a statement about their power."

"Rebel propaganda. I'm not interested. You will pay for your treason. Stand up. Both of you."

Han stepped on his left leg and pushed himself up. He then lifted his right foot and pushed it against the ground. He was relieved to discover that he had gained some control of it. The last thing he wanted was for the Imperial officer to know his weakness. Leia slowly stood up but didn't raise her hands.

"I will be rewarded well for catching the most-wanted traitor in the galaxy."

Leia scanned the area. She licked her lips as her hand went behind her back. Han clenched his jaw, fearing that she would get herself killed. She whipped out her blaster and pointed it at Hemit. She fired but missed her target. The Stormtroopers prepared to fire.

"Stop!" Hemit ordered. "A very unwise move, Your Highness. Solo's life is insignificant in the Empire's life. But yours is a different story."

Leia watched the Stormtroopers point their rifles at Han.

"Are you going to be responsible for another death?"

Leia's eyes traveled across the row of Stormtroopers. She rolled her lips between her teeth and lifted the blaster to her temple. The Stormtroopers lowered their weapons to shoulder level.

"You won't be rewarded if I'm dead."

Hemit's green eyes widened for the briefest moment. His lips then slid into a sly grin. "Darth Vader may want you dead, but the Emperor prefers you alive. I'd prefer to gain favor with the Emperor, but gaining favor with Darth Vader would be just as good."

Leia glanced at Han who glared at Hemit. Han's hazel eyes slid to the princess. She then held out her arm and released the blaster. Han dove and caught the blaster in the air. He fired at the Imperial officer as he shielded Leia with his body. Hemit cried out when the bolt hit him in the chest. He fell backwards. The Stormtroopers shot at Leia and Han. Han fired a few more shots but his aim was off due to the tingling in his arm. There were two Stormtroopers left. Han cradled Leia's head and rolled himself and Leia out of the way of the laser bolts. Lying on top of Leia he raised his blaster.

Just as he was about to shoot, shots rang out from behind him, hitting the Stormtroopers square in the chest. Han's mouth fell open, and he lifted his head. He twisted his body around and sported a lop-sided grin.


	23. Chapter 23

**I mistakenly posted a rough draft of Chapter 22. I made some changes and moved what was originally intended for Chapter 23 into Chapter 23. Please forgive this mistake.**

CHAPTER 23:

Han sat up and grinned.

"Chewie! Luke!"

Chewbacca and Luke rushed over to Han and Leia. Han looked at the princess. She wore the biggest smile he had ever seen. Her sparkling eyes shifted from Luke and Chewie to him.

Chewbacca roared.

"Yeah, pal. What are you doin' here?"

Chewie put his hand on his hip.

"We figured you two would find some trouble," Luke said. He wore a smile that resembled Leia's.

"Us?" Han feigned innocence.

Chewbacca helped Han to his feet as he rugargued.

"I got grazed by a stun bolt. The feelin's comin' back."

Luke crouched next to Leia. Her face contorted in pain as she pushed herself into a seated position.

"Leia, you're hurt."

Luke picked up her arm and examined the deep scratches left by Vilogo. Han frowned at the sight. How much more damage did that bounty hunter do to her?

"I'll be okay," she grunted.

Chewie garruared.

"Right."

Han moved behind Leia, slipped his hands beneath her armpits, and lifted her to her feet.

Luke looked around at the dead bounty hunter, Stormtroopers, and Hemit. "The Imps aren't going to be too happy about this."

"That's an understatement," Han said. "Where's the _Falcon?_ "

The Wookie pointed as he reerrred.

Han let go of Leia and followed Luke and Chewbacca. However, Leia had other ideas. She started toward the ship they just loaded with the cargo of weapons. Han grabbed her by the collar of her shirt.

"Where do you think you're goin'?"

She pulled herself from his hold and narrowed her large brown eyes on him. "Where do you think?"

"Nuh-uh. We're all leavin' together."

"We still have to get that shipment of weapons to Eros."

"Leia," Luke sighed. "I think getting' outa here is more important."

"Eros is counting on that shipment."

"And I'm countin' on getting' you back to Home One in one piece."

"The shipment is more important."

"Not to me."

Leia's mouth opened, but she seemed to have lost her words. Chewie growled as he looked around.

"We don't have time for this, Your Worshipfulness."

"I'm not— "

"We're leavin' now even if I have to throw you over my shoulder."

"Just you try," Leia growled.

"I'll take the shipment to Eros," Luke interjected before things escalated further.

"I don't like it," Han said.

Chewbacca whoowued.

"Fine."

"Be careful, Luke." Leia hugged the aspiring Jedi and winced as he hugged her back.

"If you're not back in three days, Kid, I'm comin' after you."

"You won't have to," Luke said. "Bye, Chewie."

The Wookie lifted his head and roared his good-bye. Luke smiled and rushed up the ramp. Han turned away when Luke disappeared into the ship. He gritted his teeth together as Leia walked past him holding her abdomen. They didn't have time to tend to her injuries; getting off Ord Mantell was their priority. Like it or not, Han had to put her second for now. Chewbacca led the way towards the _Falcon_. Fortunately, Han's beloved ship was docked close to the rebel ship. Han activated the ramp and ran to the cockpit. Chewie wasn't far behind. Leia followed them and sat down in the passenger seat behind Han's.

Solo began warming up the _Falcon_. Chewie flipped several levers and grumbled.

"How's this?"

The Wookie grarfed.

"We'll just have to make do."

"What's wrong?"

Han rubbed his chin. "Nothin' that can't be fixed."

The _Falcon_ roared to life, and the smuggler guided the ship out of the hangar. As they reached space, Han's hope of an easy trip back to Home One died when he saw the Star Destroyer hanging in the sky. TIE fighters swarmed nearby.

"Damn!"

Solo veered the _Falcon_ away from the TIE fighters and Star Destroyer.

Leia leaned forward. "They're not after us. They're after the rebel shipment. We have to run interference so Luke can escape."

Chewie roraffed.

"I was afraid you were gonna say that." He pulled up on the throttle. He pressed a couple of buttons and steered towards the Star Destroyer.

"Unknown YT 1300, ID yourself."

Han exchanged a glance with Leia before he pushed the comm button. "This is _Star Grazer_."

"Transmit identification code."

"Transmitting ID."

Chewbacca scanned the screen in front of him, looking for the code for the _Star Grazer._ When he found it, he sent it to the Star Destroyer.

"State cargo," the Imperial said.

Han looked at Chewie. The Wookie shrugged.

Han rolled his eyes. "You're a lot of help." He pressed the comm. "Uh…serand and xice to the Baute system."

Leia's eyes widened and retracted. "Baute?"

"I didn't hear you come up with anything better."

"Well, you— "

" _Star Grazer_ , prepare for boarding," the Imperial speaking through the comm said.

"Just great," Leia mumbled under her breath. Han shot her a dirty look.

"Uh…we're kinda in a hurry. Lots of hungry people out there," Han winced.

Chewie put a hand on his face, and Leia shook her head. "Brilliant."

" _Star Grazer_ , stand down. Prepare for boarding."

"Yes, sir," Han said into the comm and shut it off. He looked at Chewie. "Looks like the fun's about to begin."

Leia unstrapped herself and rose from her seat. She was halfway out the cockpit when she said, "I'll man the gun turrets."

"Good idea. Make sure you strap yourself in. It's gonna be a rough ride."

"When is it not?" she quipped as she exited the cockpit.

Han smiled as he watched the door slid shut.

Chewbacca activated the thrusters, and the _Millennium Falcon_ turned around before zipping away.

The inner comm crackled to life. "I'm in," Leia said.

Han grabbed the yoke and forced the _Falcon_ into a spinning dive to avoid the lasers firing from the TIE fighters that pursued them. Two TIE fighters followed, but Han's move was too abrupt and the TIE fighters collided with each other. From the turret guns, Leia fired on a third and fourth, blowing them to pieces.

"Nice job, Sweetheart!"

A shot from another TIE fighter coming from underneath them hit the aft of the _Falcon_. Chewbacca reached to his right and flipped several levers as Han leaned forward and pressed a blue button. The ship dipped and rose, zipping between several TIE fighters.

Chewie garbbued.

"I see it. Leia?"

The TIE fighter exploded in front of them and the _Falcon_ blew through the debris.

"Flip," Leia crackled through the comm.

Han followed her command and flipped the ship upside down. He broke out into a lop-sided grin as Leia shot down four more TIE fighters.

"Way to go!"

"I think we've given Luke enough time to—" she shot another TIE fighter, "—get out of here."

Chewie howled in agreement.

"Prepare to jump to light speed," Han yelled into the inner comm.

He programmed the coordinates of Home One into the hyperspace computer and then pushed the lever forward. The stars stretched into blue streaks. Han jumped out of his seat and ran out of the cockpit. He turned down the corridor and rushed towards the gun turrets. Leia was just climbing down the ladder. Before her feet touched the ground, Han scooped her up and spun her around. She grunted as he put her down. Han wrapped his hand around the back of her head, tipped her chin up, and kissed her.

Leia's lips were soft and warm against his. Something like the concussion of fireworks exploded in his stomach and whirled up into his chest. He pulled her body closer to him, and lost himself in the kiss.

However, something wet and warm on his hand tore Han out of his ecstasy. He pulled back, leaving Leia standing with her eyes closed. Her pleasure lingered on her face. Had Leia's blood on his hand not distracted him, he would've kissed her again.

"You're bleeding."

Leia opened her eyes; disappointment colored her face. She touched the back of her head and pulled away her hand.

"I am."

"Come'n. Let's fix you up."

He took her hand and led her to the medical bay.

Chewbacca was waiting there with his hands behind his head. He warbled.

Han's eyes widened and retracted. "I'm not the one hurt this time."

Chewie dropped his hands and tilted his head as he haagurrued.

"The effects of the stun laser's worn away. Mostly. Help me with her."

Han lifted Leia up and sat her on the bed as Chewbacca collected the supplies they would need to tend to her wounds. Chewie placed the items next to Leia and cooed. Leia tipped her head forward. The Wookie probed the cut on the back of her head and grurugued.

"It doesn't hurt," Leia said, but Han knew she was downplaying her pain.

Chewbacca used a cloth to wipe away the blood and clean the wound. She gritted her teeth together.

"These are pretty deep," Han said as he examined the scratches on Leia's arm. He gently rubbed a wet cloth over the rips in her skin, wiping the blood away. "Surgi-glue should repair these cuts."

Chewie raroofed.

"Are you sure?"

The Wookie gruawed.

Leia cringed. "I hate stitches."

Chewie began preparing the supplies needed to suture Leia's wound while Han spread surgi-glue over each cut on Leia's arm. After he gave the gel a moment to dry, he covered the injuries with bacta bandages before wrapping her arm with a protective bandage.

Chewbacca grooled directions. Han helped Leia lay on her side with her back to him and Chewie. She turned her face towards the pillow.

"You can hold my hand," Han said as he held it out to her.

To his surprise, Leia took his hand and squeezed it as Chewbacca numbed the area to be sutured. She didn't release the tension until the Wookie finished the job. He softly growled and stroked the top of her head.

"Sit up."

The flash of pain that crossed Leia's face as she shifted around was not loss on Han. Han felt around her wound, and she sucked in air.

"Tender. Swollen. You have a headache?"

Leia raised her right eyebrow. "What do you think?"

"No change in behavior," Han said, and Chewbacca laughed.

The princess shot the Wookie a sharp look, and he stopped laughing. He mumbled something under his breath and left the medical bay.

"You feelin' dizzy?"

"Not really."

"I'll take that as a yes."

Han picked up a penlight and shined it into her eyes. She pulled back and pushed it away.

"Eyes dilated. Looks like you have a concussion."

Solo went to the cabinet and removed an ice pack from the shelf. He cracked it in half before he shook it and pressed it against the back of Leia's head.

"Hold this."

She did as she was told. Han lifted her shirt and cringed. Leia tried to pull her shirt back down, and Han caught her hand. He examined the reddish-purple boot marks on her side and abdomen. Han lightly touched her lower ribs and she pulled back.

"I think your rib is fractured. Does it hurt to take deep breaths?"

"Not really."

"Then let's see you take a deep breath."

"Okay, it hurts."

Han picked up the scanner and waved it over the bruises. "It doesn't look like any of your organs are seriously damaged," he said as he studied the readout. "There's no clear reading, but your rib may be fractured."

He reached into a cupboard that was above Leia and took out a smile vial of pills. He removed the cap, shook two into his hand, and gave them to Leia.

"These should take away some of the pain."

Han retrieved a glass of water and handed it to her. She put the pills into her mouth, took a sip of water, and swallowed them.

"Come'n." He helped her off the bed. "You can rest in my cabin."

"I'll be okay, Han," Leia said as she took his hand.

Han kissed the top of her head. "I know."


	24. Chapter 24

CHAPTER 24:

Han Solo brought the mug of kaffe to his mouth and sipped the steaming drink. He sat next to his bed where Princess Leia Organa slept. His feet were propped up on the nightstand and his hands cupped the mug that he rested on his abdomen between sips. The heat of his drink penetrated the ceramic and warmed him inside and out. He took another small sip of the kaffe as he watched Leia sleep.

How much time had passed since Leia was bitten by the nico spider? Weeks, though it felt like days; it felt like yesterday. She could've died; she almost did. If she hadn't bumped into him in the corridor…

Han sighed and took another sip of his kaffe to erase that thought. He gazed at her face. She didn't look as if she was on death's bed like she did when she was recovering from the spider bite. However, Leia's concussion and fractured ribs concerned Han just the same. He had woken her up every three hours to make sure that her condition wasn't deteriorating. The last time he woke her, she had some sharp words for him, something he welcomed. Now he had nothing to do but sit by her bed and wait until the next time he was to wake her.

Han tried to push the image of Vilogo slamming her against the wall and kicking her as she lay curled up on the ground out of his mind. To no avail. The scene played over and over as if its sole intent was to torture Han.

 _She's hurt because of me._

He should have never brought Leia to Ord Mantell; he knew how dangerous that planet was. Han could have insisted on taking her to a safer place, on making her take a real vacation. However, Leia refused to go with him unless she was doing something for the rebellion. Procuring weapons for the rebel base on Eros seemed like the safest—and easiest—mission at the time. Han could've lied to her; he could've taken Leia to another place and suffered the consequences. However, he couldn't bring himself to lie to her, not about something that big. Han didn't want to ruin the trust between them that had grown over the last three years. Preserving that trust meant more to him than anything else.

Even keeping her safe?

Han swallowed down another sip of kaffe. Its heat was rapidly fading. Maybe his priorities were skewed. How could he think putting Leia in danger to remove her from a threat was a good idea? He ran a finger along the lip of the mug. He thought bringing Leia to Ord Mantell was the only way he could keep her close to him; he could keep a better eye on her than he could on Home One. On Ord Mantell, Leia couldn't keep him at arm's length; she couldn't avoid him. He truly believed that he was the only one who could keep her safe.

Was his motive pure? Or did he selfishly want her to himself?

Solo shifted in his chair. He didn't like the thought of him manipulating the situation to serve his own purpose. He rubbed his chin with his forefinger. Her safety came first—he was sure of that, even though he made the idiot move of bringing her to Ord Mantell—but he couldn't deny the thrill he got spending the time alone with her.

Thrill. Guilt formed a knot in his chest; Finding pleasure in something that almost killed her—them—three times sickened him. And he almost got Leia captured by the Imps.

Han clenched his jaw. Had Vilogo not ambushed them, they would have never had to deal with that Imperial officer, Hemit, and the band of Stormtroopers. Had Han not had a price on his head, Leia wouldn't have been lying in this bed recovering from some worrisome injuries.

Han squeezed the mug in his hands. Leia was injured because of him, because he had shirked his responsibilities (as usual). Before, Han saw only himself at risk by his recklessness—and Chewie, but Chewie was with him by choice. The smuggler had tried to ditch his furry pal. However, that Wookie was one determined being. Leia, on the other hand, didn't choose to take on Han's mistakes, but she had to deal with the fallout anyway. Keeping her close didn't keep her safe.

Han took another sip of his kaffe. The heat had dissipated and he was left with a cold, bitter drink that only enhanced his sullen mood. He gazed at Leia's peaceful face. Han could watch her sleep for hours, which was what he was doing now. He brought a lock of her hair to his face and pressed it against his lips. It was cool and smooth, and it smelled like direi blossoms. Han inhaled deeper, committing the sweet fragrance to memory.

His eyes traveled over her slight form under the covers as he adjusted them. Solo marveled at Leia's small stature, her streamline body. Beings easily underestimated her. The smuggler smiled at the memory of Leia taking one of Gorobian's men's blaster and knocking him to the ground. Yes, she was easily underestimated and minimalized by enemies and allies alike. She took on challenges, Stormtroopers, bounty hunters, and the Alliance's High Command as if she was as tall as Chewbacca. The way she jumped on Vilogo; it took the Fivoca all he had to shake her—

Again, the image of Vilogo slamming Leia against the wall and kicking her in the gut assaulted his mind. Han's smile faded. Vilogo was known for slashing those beings who got in his way of a bounty to death with his ferocious talons even if those beings were innocent bystanders. The Fivoca didn't kill Leia, though he had the opportunity. Han slowly exhaled. Vilogo most likely planned to use her as leverage. Most likely, the bounty hunter would've sold Leia to Jabba, and that grotesque Hutt would subject her to unthinkable vileness to punish Han.

The kaffe in Solo's stomach churned at the thought of Jabba hurting Leia. He glared into the mug of cold kaffe before placing next to the chair. Han was more of a threat to Leia's wellbeing than the assassin on Home One.

Did he love her enough to leave her?

His heart pinched at the thought of leaving Leia. She had sparked a fire in his gut, had given him a reason to live beyond just getting by.

Most importantly, she loved him. Leia loved _him_ , even if she could only admit it when she was drunk. Han never relished the proclamation of love from a woman like he did Leia's. In fact, a woman professing her love always soured whatever relationship Han had with her. He didn't want that kind of responsibility or attachment; those things would only get in the way of his chosen path in life.

However, his stomach flipped at the memory of Leia professing her love. Arms thrown around his neck, the words, _I. Love. You._ Leia loved him _not_ like she loved Luke. Han was almost afraid to believe it; someone like her loved _him._ Han's goals weren't lofty, and he wasn't idealistic or heroic. Everything he did was for survival. He rescued Luke over the Death Star because he cared about the kid; he took care of Leia because he loved her. His motives couldn't be more selfish than that.

Han dropped his feet to the ground and leaned forward so that his elbows rested on his knees. Leia made him want to be a better person; he wanted to live up to her expectations of him.

 _Your friend is quite the mercenary. I wonder if he cares about anything. Or anyone._

Han bit the inside of his cheek as the words she spoke when they escaped the Death Star floated across his mind. Leia's voice dripped with disappointment. She didn't even know him, and he had the ability to disappoint her. Looking back, it was in that moment wanting to be the man she wanted him to be affected his future decisions. Maybe that's why he came back and helped Luke destroy the Death Star.

Solo leaned back, slouched in the chair, and crossed his arms over his chest.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A growl and grumble woke Han up. He opened his eyes to find Chewbacca peeking his head into the cabin. The smuggler rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"I must've fallen asleep."

Chewbacca garrawed.

"You don't have to be sarcastic." Han looked at the empty bed. "Where's Leia?"

Chewie magrooed.

"The _Falcon's_ not that big. How could you not know?"

Chewie gaggawed.

"Why are you avoiding her?"

The Wookie placed a hand on his hip and garagled.

"Good reason," Han said though he wished that Chewie told Leia who her would-be assassin was. That was something Han dreaded telling her. Han stood up and stretched his arms above his head. "What time is it?"

The Wookie reeggged.

"We should be back on Home One in a couple of hours."

Chewie garuffed.

"Again with the sarcasm?"

Chewbacca mumbled something under his breath and walked away. Han ignored his best friend, picked the blanket off the bed, and headed to Leia's favorite spot: the cockpit. She loved to stargaze, especially when they were traveling at lightspeed. And Han loved the way the light of the stars danced upon her face when she stargazed. The smuggler turned down the corridor and palmed the controls of the cockpit door. It slid open.

Leia peeked over the co-pilot's seat. "How are you feeling?"

Han walked over to his chair and sat down. "I should be asking you that."

Leia was leaning against the pillow with her feet pulled up in Chewie's seat.

"I'm feeling fine."

Han gave her a pointed look.

"I'm just a bit sore."

"You dizzy?"

She opened her mouth and closed it before answering him. "A little."

At least she was being honest with him.

She leaned her head back. "You look tired."

"I'm not," he said. He held up the blanket. "It's cold."

"I'm fine."

Han arranged the blanket over her. She settled underneath it and turned her attention to the scenery outside the cockpit. He watched her watch the stars.

"We should reach Home One in a couple of hours."

"I know."

"You should be resting."

"I am."

"I meant lying down resting."

Leia shrugged. "I'm resting now."

Her answers were curt, and Han inwardly cringed. Han's eyes traveled from her to the stars and then back to her.

"Somethin' wrong?"

"Why won't you tell me who the assassin is?"

"Would-be assassin."

She rolled her large brown eyes but this time her small action didn't bring Han pleasure.

"It's someone I know," Leia said when Han didn't answer. "Someone I trusted."

"Leia…"

She looked at him. "Why don't you tell me? Are you afraid I'll break?"

"Sweetheart, that's the last thing I expect of you."

She turned her head towards him and tilted it forward. "Then tell me."

"I'm surprised Chewie didn't tell you."

"I got the impression that he's avoiding me."

"Smart move," Han mumbled.

"You can't keep this from me, Han."

Han forcefully expelled a breath. "No, I can't."

He swiveled his seat towards her, leaned forward, and rested his elbows on his knees. She stared into his eyes, waiting.


	25. Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25:

Han Solo pressed several green buttons and one blue before switching the lever. The _Millennium Falcon_ sputtered and sighed as it shut down. He took off his gloves, exited the cockpit, and headed towards his cabin with the intent of checking on Princess Leia Organa. After he told her who her would-be assassin was, she had nodded her head and excused herself. He almost followed her, but he decided to give her some space. Usually she preferred to digest bad news before she allowed him to comfort her. If he approached her too soon, she would snap at him with words that would sting, inciting him to snap back. The last thing Han wanted to do was start a fight with her now.

However, giving her space didn't mean he left her alone entirely. After he told her the bad news, Han had given her a few minutes before following her to his cabin. He stood outside the door listening. When he didn't hear her crying, he peeked in. She was lying on her back with her head propped up by pillows, working on her data pad as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Her normalcy concerned Han more than her tears would have; bottling her emotions up didn't always end well.

However, Han didn't disturb her. Leia sometimes came to him when she was ready. She rarely talked about what was hurting her when she came to him. She would just help him work on the _Falcon_ , handing him tools, or doing small jobs he gave her, or she would play Sabaac with him and Chewie for hours.

If Leia didn't come to him after upsetting news or events after some time had passed, Han would go to her. He would always ask her for parts for the _Falcon_ that he didn't need. He would then ask her if everything was all right. Han wouldn't prod her into sharing anything she wasn't ready to share. Leia sometimes would say she was fine, but other times, when her large brown eyes glistened, she'd open up to him. It was only a crack, but Han suspected that Leia didn't open herself to anyone in the way she opened herself to him; not even to Luke.

When Han found Leia working on her data pad, he fought the urge to take it from her; stressing the brain was bad for a concussion. However, if it was something that took her kept her mind from dwelling on the bad news, he wasn't going to disturb her.

Maybe he should have. Han's brow furrowed when he saw that his cabin door was closed. Leia rarely closed the door; she didn't like being enclosed in small areas. Did she catch him checking up on her?

Han knocked on the door. "Leia?"

No answer.

He knocked harder. "Leia?"

Again, no answer.

Han opened the door and frowned; Leia's bag lay opened and unpacked on the bed, but she wasn't in the room. Han rubbed his chin with his forefinger and went to the medical bay. Still no Leia. He went to the common area and found Chewbacca working on the hyperdrive.

"Have you seen Leia?"

Chewie growled and shook his head.

"Huh." He walked over to the Wookie's work. "The exhaust hose detached again?"

Chewie brayed.

"I'll ask Leia if the Alliance has a spare," Han said.

Han exited the common area and headed down the corridor leading to the cockpit, though he knew she wouldn't be there. As he walked through the corridor, he noticed the ramp was down. He pressed his lips together before wandering down the ramp. He was just in time to see Leia walking out of the hangar with Colonel Liston. Han's hand curled into a fist. He started after her.

"Captain Solo!" The hangar guard stepped in front of him.

Han stopped and scowled. "What!"

"I-I told you before that you must have a docking interview."

"Go talk to Chewie," Han said as he side-stepped the woman.

"I don't speak Shyriiwook," the guard said as she stepped into Han's path again.

Han side-stepped again. "Then get yourself a protocol droid."

This time the woman didn't block Han's path. Han walked down the corridor and turned down a passageway. He stopped when he reached the entrance of the Command Center.

"Captain Solo," the guard held up his hand. "You can't go in there."

"Get outa my way, Reg."

"I can't. There's a meeting going on, and you don't have clearance for the Command Center."

"Move."

"I can't."

"Reg, you know it's important or I wouldn't be here."

"That doesn't change anything."

"I'll forget the credits you owe me from our last Sabaac game."

Reg's lips stretched into a line.

"You owe me big."

"Fine! But you have to hit me so it looks like I didn't let you in willingly."

Han's eyebrows peaked. "Really?"

"Do you want to get me thrown into the stockade?"

"All right."

"Make sure you knock me out."

Han bit his lip, pulled back his fist, and punched Reg in the face. Reg's legs buckled and he fell back. Han caught the man, lowered him to the ground, stepped over him. He then stormed into the Command Center.

"Captain Solo!" General Dodonna said as he stood up. "What's the meaning of this?"

"Where'ya holding prisoners?"

"Can't you see we're in a meeting?"

"I need to know where prisoners are being held."

"You are not authorized to enter that area," a senator Han didn't know said. "And you're not authorized to be in the Command Center."

"Tell me what I want to know and I'll leave."

"Where's private Reg?"

"Takin' a nap," Han said as he looked down at his bruised knuckles. "Look this has to do with Le—the princess."

"What business does she have in the prison?"

"None of your business," Han snapped. "Where's the prison?"

"Why don't we just show you the prison area," the senator said as he reached for the alarm.

General Reikken grabbed the man's hand. "The bottom floor right wing aft."

"General Reikken!"

Han pressed his lips together in a small smile and nodded at the general. "Thanks."

He rushed out of the room, hoping that Reikken wouldn't be in too much trouble for helping him out. Han stalked down the corridor leading to the aft of the ship, stopped in front of a lift, and pressed the button. He tapped his foot as he waited. Leia had a good lead on him, and she was with Liston of all people. When the lift doors opened, he stepped in, typed in the floor he wanted, and placed his hands on his hips. The lift moved fast, but it was still too slow for Han.

When it reached the bottom floor, the door slid opened. Han marched down two more corridors and another passageway until he reached the prison. The soldiers stationed at the entrance stepped in front of him with their blasters crossed in front of their chest.

"Move."

"Captain Solo, you are not— "

"Authorized to be here. I know. Move."

"We can't let you pass," the guard standing in the middle said.

"I'm looking for Le—the princess. She here?"

A soldier sitting at the desk spoke up. "Yes. She's at cell seven-three-eight."

"Fin!"

"Thanks," Han said.

He walked down the hall, scanning the numbers above the transparent cells. Most of the cells were empty. He turned the corner and saw Leia alone standing in front of the cell containing Joh Hek, the leader of the Alderaanian Collective. Han bit his lip.

"Why?" Leia's voice was small.

"You destroyed Alderaan."

"Grand Moff Tarkin did that." Her words held no conviction.

"You're just as guilty."

Han tromped to her side. He grabbed her arm. "Come'n. Don't listen to him."

"Captain Solo. Justice would've been served if you hadn't intervened."

Han glared at Joh Hek before looking at Leia. She stood there pale, and her eyes glistened. He tugged Leia's arm.

"Come'n."

Her steps were shaky as he pulled her away from the cell.

"The Alderaanian Collective wants you dead!" Joh Hek yelled as Han and Leia turned the corner. "You need to pay for your sin!"

Leia looked back over her shoulder. Her mouth formed a small "o." Han stopped, stepped behind her, and took her other arm. He guided her out of the cellblocks and passed the guards who curiously stared at them. They said nothing as Han led out of the prison. He took her back to her cabin.

When they reached the door. Leia placed her hand on the security pad, and it slid open. She stared into the room. Han took her hand and walked her into the room.

Leia stood in the middle of the room and said nothing. Han turned his hazel eyes to her and parted her lips as he searched for the right words. Her lips were also parted, but he doubted she was thinking about what to say. Leia's large brown eyes stared at the wall opposite of her. Han followed her gaze. Pinned up on the wall was a flimsy picture with torn edges and fold lines. It was small, no bigger than Han's hand, and there were worn spots where the film had been scratched.

Han pressed his lips together and put his hands on his hips. It was an image of the Cieandra mountains framed by Adrian Lake and the blue cloudless sky. The Jewel of Alderaan. Han had heard of this place but had never saw it in real life. And he never would. He squinted as he studied the photo. A dark man holding a small girl on his shoulders stood in front of the lake. A woman next to them, her hair styled in two neat buns—like the hairstyle Leia wore when he first saw her—looked up at the little girl with an expression full of light.

Leia ran to the refresher, knelt in front of the toilet, and threw up. Han rushed to her aid. He knelt behind her and held her hair away from her face. He then wrapped his free arm loosely around her waist. Leia expelled the contents of her stomach one more time. She lifted her head, panting.

"Awg," she cried out as she was assaulted with pain each time she inhaled.

"Slow down, Sweetheart," Han soothed. "You're okay."

Leia wiped away the tears on her cheeks with the back of her arm.

"Slow down."

When Leia regained her respiration, Han helped her to her feet and led her to the sink. He twisted the faucet handle, grabbed the nearby face towel, held it under the water, and rung out the excess water. He then used it to wipe away her tears before he pressed it against her forehead. Leia picked up the glass on the counter and filled it with water. She took a swig, swished around in her mouth, and spit it out. She refilled the glass and drank down the contents.

Leia braced her hands against the counter, raised her eyes to the mirror, and looked at herself. Her eyes slid to Han's reflection.

"What Joh Hek said, it's not true."

He inwardly cringed; saying it wouldn't make it true to her. Leia blamed herself long before her encounter with Joh Hek. Nonetheless, Han didn't break eye contact with her. Although he didn't know how, he vowed to, one day, get her to absolve herself of her imagined crimes. Until then he would pick up the pieces after she crumbled under the weight of her guilt.

Leia broke eye contact and stood up straight. Han stepped away from her, and she backed away from the sink. She continued her trajectory until she was up against the wall. She hugged herself and slid to the floor. Han sat on his haunches in front of her.

The princess closed her eyes. Han stretched out his hand, cupped her face, and smoothed her cheek with his thumb.

"You can't keep beating yourself up."

She opened her eyes, looked at him, and then acknowledged his words with a nod.

"I care about you, Leia, and it's tearin' my heart apart."

Leia's eyes widened as she looked up at him. Han bit the inside of his cheek before he reached out to her. She took his hands and pressed her weight against them. She winced as she began to push herself to her feet. Han let go of her hands and slid his up her arms until he clutched her upper arms. When he had a firm grip on her, he helped her stand up.

"You shouldn't care about me," she whispered as she shrugged his hands away. She turned and walked out of the refresher.

Han followed her. "Why? Because you don't think you deserve it?"

"No. Because caring for someone only ends in hurt," she said in a barely audible voice. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You're afraid I'll hurt you."

Leia squeezed her hands into fists and held them by her sides.

"You're willing to sacrifice love just to avoid pain?" Han asked

Leia stopped in the middle of the room but didn't turn around. Han expelled a forceful breath.

"You love me," Han said.

"No, I don't." Her words were even quieter than before.

"One day you'll admit it."

She hugged herself again. "I want to be alone."

"I'm not goin' anywhere."

Leia turned around. "Why do you always disregard my wishes?"

"Leia, you have fractured ribs and a concussion. You just faced your would-be assassin from your home planet who wrongly—yes, _wrongly_ ," Han stressed when her eyes glassed over, "accused of being responsible for the destruction of Alderaan. I'm not going to leave you."

Leia turned away and sharply inhaled. "Please, just leave."

"No."

"I don't want to argue with you."

"Then don't."

Han placed a kiss on the crown of her head. Leia walked away from him, and his shoulders slumped. When she reached her desk, she opened a drawer. She picked something out, turned around, and held up a box of Sabaac cards. Leia didn't smile, but Han was okay with that.

"You lookin' to get your ass whipped again?" he asked.

"I have no intension of losing," she said with no mirth in her voice.

Leia grimaced as she sat down on the bed. Han picked up her pillow and arranged it behind her after she scooted towards the wall. She leaned back and closed her eyes.

"Maybe you should— "

"Just deal the cards, Fly Boy."

Han reveled in the small smile she gave him. It was a forlorn smile, but a smile nonetheless.

 _I can't stay,_ He thought. Not after Vilogo. How many more bounty hunters were searching for him? How many times would he put Leia in needless danger?

 _Caring for somebody only ends in hurt,_ Leia said.

Han forced a smile as he passed out the cards. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted to do. However, he knew he had to leave. He'd keep that to himself for now. Han was still here, and he'd be here for Leia as long as he could.

THE END


End file.
